The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Flin Flon Fire Chief Jim Petrie backs a plan now in effect that requires all cigarettes sold in Canada to self extinguish when left unattended. "I think it's a good idea," said Petrie in a previous interview. "Cigarette smoking, obviously, is a large contributor to household fires." Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh on Friday announced all cigarettes manufactured or imported for sale in Canada must now meet the new national standard, intended to reduce the risk of fire. "Cigarettes are currently the number one known cause of fire-related fatalities in Canada," he said in a press statement. "I am proud to say, that Canada is now the first country to have a national standard to reduce fire risks from cigarettes." The press released added that this new standard does not mean that cigarettes are fire-safe, as it remains a burning object. The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs reported for the period 1995-1999 that at least 14,030 fires were started by smokers' materials. These fires killed 356 people, injured 1,615 and cost more than $200 million in property damage. Health Canada said it will monitor the marketplace and take appropriate action where violations to the Tobacco Act are observed. Tobacco manufacturers oppose the plan, saying reduced-ignition cigarettes often go out and that they taste bad after being re-lit.
