State moving forward on lower-fire-risk cigarette law

Boston.com ^ | 1-19-2003 | Joel Stashenko

[SheLion]

Typically, these fires are caused by people who fall asleep with lighted cigarettes in their hands. The cigarettes ignite bedding or upholstery.

People that "fall asleep in bed smoking" are usually drunk out of their minds or popped out on drugs. How are you going to enforce THAT, Guvnor????? Huh???

[SheLion]

The different paper does not change the toxicity of the cigarettes or reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases caused by smoking.

Awww Shucks! Your kidding me.

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[SheLion]

Manufacturers who knowingly make false certification about their cigarettes' fire propensity may face a $10,000 fine.

The politicians are always looking for more ways to make money off of the smokers.

Guv Pataki even used $170,000 of the Tobacco Settle money to build a big ole golf course. Must be nice, eh?

[NetValue]

"The Legislature and Gov. George Pataki approved the law, the first of its kind in the United States and possibly the world, in 2000, and the Fire Prevention Bureau in Pataki's Department of State has been at work ever since figuring out how the statute will function and be enforced."

Here is proof politicians (even Republicans) are a-holes. For this to be a law is absurd!

God save me from those who want to protect me more and waste my money doing so.

[SheLion]

God save me from those who want to protect me more and waste my money doing so.

OH yea!

[metesky]

If the tobacco companies just made their butts out of 100% tobacco they'd burn a lot slower like my fine internet bought Senecas.

[jimtorr]

Are these folks saying that only the paper on a ciggarete burns, and not the tobacco?

Huh, I guess that explains why pipe tobacco is so hard to keep lit. I guess cigars, which are wrapped in tobacco leaves, don't burn either.

[OBone]

Another useless unenforcable law.

[cb]

Right!

I didn't think anybody in New York smoked newyork cigs anyway. I thought all of them were smuggled in from Virginia to avoid the repressive nycig tax???????

Well, looks like the drug smugglers are going to get another big boost in bidness!

[Just another Joe]

If I was a CEO of a tobacco company I would take this opportunity to stop selling cigarettes in New York state.
Let all the consumers know that it was the gov and and legislature that caused it.
I would probably tell the gov, "We are not changing this for you. If you don't want us to sell our product in your state just let us know."

Then sit back and watch the uproar.

[88keys]

I would probably tell the gov, "We are not changing this for you. If you don't want us to sell our product in your state just let us know." Then sit back and watch the uproar.

That would be a great idea, except I think the American tobacco companies are "in" on this "scam"...I bet a little research would show all papers are relatively the same cost, but "complying" with the "new law" for "fire-retardant paper" (it's a cigarette, for heavens' sakes!! it's supposed to burn!!) will "force" them to raise prices (yeah...NOT! but they'll say so, do it, and then "split the difference"...Canadians not eligible)

(must be "conspiracy Monday," LOL!)

[SheLion]

"We are not changing this for you. If you don't want us to sell our product in your state just let us know."

Joe, I didn't read the entire MSA, but I don't think this was IN there. Big Tobacco should pull out. That would REALLY cause a riot. LOL!

[Great Dane]

Candles cause more fires than cigarettes....... are they going to demand safer candles

[Great Dane]

I would probably tell the gov, "We are not changing this for you. If you don't want us to sell our product in your state just let us know."

This is what Marlboro did in Canada, Canada demanded those nasty pictures and that the packaging be bilingual, Marlboro said, "STUFF IT," you can no longer get marlboro cigarettes in Canada, I don't understand why all the makers are not fighting back............. ooops, forgot, they are now all singing the government song.

[Max McGarrity]

But Philip Morris, who still apparently believes in "pre-emptive surrender," wants "a level playing field."

If anyone is still buying PM products, he/she is on the side of the antis.

[Max McGarrity]

SheLion, awhile back the illustrious Gang of Thieves here in Sacramento decided to demand the tobacco industry put on their packs the lies they constantly tell about the "danger" of environmental tobacco smoke. It's the only time in history I remember the industry telling the politicians to go pound sand, saying they'd stop selling their products in the state if forced to do so. All the major companies stood together, and the stated backed down in a rabbit minute after, as I remember, ONE press release rattling their sabers and throwing around terms like "monopoly" and "restraint of trade," etc. The entire issue appeared and disappeared within a week.

[Max McGarrity]

they are now all singing the government song.

Unfortunately, they believe that's their only hope of survival...if they play along with the gubmint, maybe the scumsucking bottom-feeding attorneys won't be permitted to completely destroy them. They're wrong, but that's why they play the game they do. I don't think they've realized yet that gubmint AND the sharks always have other deep pockets to pick.

[Old Professer]

Philip Morris has been developing a slower-burning paper on its Merit brand, called SelectPaper, and has said in the past it would favor a national standard on safer cigarettes rather than a patchwork of state laws.

Just for the heck of it, I once lighted and stood on its end a Merit cigarette to watch it as it burned; it only took 8 minutes for it to burn down to the filter.

Merits are more air than tobacco.

[SheLion]

Just for the heck of it, I once lighted and stood on its end a Merit cigarette to watch it as it burned; it only took 8 minutes for it to burn down to the filter.

Well, I, for one, am sick and tired of cigarettes getting such a bad rap for "causing fires." For one thing: if a person is THAT TIRED, they have NO business to lay in bed and have that "last cigarette" before retiring anyway.

Plus, most of fires from cigarettes are from people that are very intoxicated and they fall asleep or "pass out" in bed. Or else, spaced out on drugs. A sober, responsible person will never die in a house fire caused by a cigarette.