FIRE SAFE CIGARETTES
A Petition to Repeal Fire Safe Cigarette Law
Citizens Against Fire Safe Cigarettes (CAFSC) (WV PETITION)
Author: David Jaromnak (Thank you David)
Date: 10/28/2009
Watch Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mTXZVCOM0Y
The Fire Safe Cigarette Initiative promoted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Coalition for Fire Safe Cigarettes has resulted in laws in affect or passed, pending enforcement in States/Commonwealths requiring all retail locations to sell only Fire Safe Cigarettes (FSC) to consumers. Fire safe cigarettes have two layers of paper with %u201Cspeed bumps%u201D mixed with higher levels of chemicals than regular cigarettes. Such FSC cigarettes will burn out within one minute if the cigarette is not inhaled. The Citizens Against Fire Safe Cigarettes appeal to State/Commonwealth governments to review the facts and repeal the FSC laws. Failure to do so will result in increased health costs and deaths. If not repealed, the CAFSC will seek legal recourse through the judicial system and State Superior Courts. If necessary, the appeal will be made to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Identified Hazards
1) Cigarette company literature and health officials have identified %u201Clight%u201D cigarettes as no less dangerous than regular cigarettes. Such light cigarettes contain equal amounts of carbon monoxide. The affect and harm of cigarette smoke varies depending upon the smoker%u2019s habit of taking longer, deeper and more frequent puffs on the cigarette. This is a widely accepted fact. Fire Safe Cigarettes require that a smoker inhale in less than one minute or the cigarette will extinguish itself. The need to keep a FSC cigarette burning increases the number of inhales per cigarette, and thus increases the amount of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide intake into the smoker%u2019s lungs. The result is more health-risk damage to the smoker.
2) The Fire Safe Cigarette design has resulted in more frequent ash, which may fall and ignite more fires than regular cigarettes.
3) Having to relight cigarettes increases the potential for more fire related accidents with matches and lighters.
4) The added and higher level chemicals contained in FSC cigarettes has proven to be more toxic than regular cigarettes and cause increased health related problems for smokers. Symptoms/conditions include, but are not limited to: Nausea, Sores in mouth and throat, Dry throat, constant headaches, extreme coughing, tightness in the chest, vomiting, body aches, pain in the abdomen and respiratory conditions including asthma and bronchitis.
a. The Harvard School of Health reported that when comparing NY Cigarettes (FSC) versus Regular Cigarettes, the FSC cigarettes produced 13.9% more Naphthalene and 11.4% more carbon monoxide than regular cigarettes.[1] Naphthalene is commonly found in moth balls, and exposure in high amounts can result in %u201CSymptoms of acute exposure include headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, malaise, confusion, anemia, jaundice, convulsions, and coma.%u201D[2] Therefore, it has been proven that FSC cigarettes contain higher levels of chemicals that are harmful to smokers.
b. Phillip Morris USA has reported that the Adhesive ethylene vinyl acetate and polyvinyl acetate are used in the non-tobacco ingredients of cigarettes produced as a Side-seam adhesive. However, Phillip Morris USA fails to distinguish the differences in levels between regular and FSC cigarettes. The amount does not exceed .6 % combined.[3] Since additional layers of paper are used in FSC cigarettes, more adhesive is needed in the form of ethylene vinyl acetate.
Safe smoking habits of responsible adults prevent fatalities from burning cigarettes. It is up to individuals to responsibly extinguish cigarettes. The creation of FSC cigarettes has created numerous hazards which cause more fatalities and problems than the small amount of lives saved from fires with the FSC cigarettes in use. Not only are the FSC cigarettes unsafe to smokers, it presents health problems and increases the damage of cigarettes. Due to inadequate testing by Cigarette Companies and government agencies, the FSC cigarette poses real and identified dangers to the smoking public. Therefore, the FSC laws are detrimental to the public good and must be repealed immediately.
All who hereto sign this petition support the immediate repeal of all FSC laws and support an allowance for Cigarette Companies to resume selling %u201Cregular cigarettes%u201D in retail stores within all States/Commonwealths in the United States of America.
Signed,
Citizens Against Fire Safe Cigarettes (WV)
[1] %u201CFire Safer Cigarettes %u2013 The Effect of the New York State Fire Safety Standard On Ignition Propensity, Smoke Toxicity, and the Consumer Market%u201D, Alpert/Carpenter/Connolly/Rees/Wayne and Harvard School of Public Health, 2005, http://firesafecigarettes.org/assets/files/HarvardStudy.pdf
[2] %u201CNaphthalene%u201D, Technology Transfer Network, Air Toxics Web Site, United States Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/naphthal.html
[3] %u201CCigarettes-Ingredients-Non-Tobacco Ingredients%u201D, Phillip Morris USA, http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/en/cms/Products/Cigarettes/Ingredients/Non_Tobacco_Ingredients/default.aspx?src=top_nav
A Petition to Repeal Fire Safe Cigarette Law
Citizens Against Fire Safe Cigarettes (CAFSC) (WV PETITION)
Author: David Jaromnak (Thank you David)
Date: 10/28/2009
Watch Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mTXZVCOM0Y
The Fire Safe Cigarette Initiative promoted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Coalition for Fire Safe Cigarettes has resulted in laws in affect or passed, pending enforcement in States/Commonwealths requiring all retail locations to sell only Fire Safe Cigarettes (FSC) to consumers. Fire safe cigarettes have two layers of paper with %u201Cspeed bumps%u201D mixed with higher levels of chemicals than regular cigarettes. Such FSC cigarettes will burn out within one minute if the cigarette is not inhaled. The Citizens Against Fire Safe Cigarettes appeal to State/Commonwealth governments to review the facts and repeal the FSC laws. Failure to do so will result in increased health costs and deaths. If not repealed, the CAFSC will seek legal recourse through the judicial system and State Superior Courts. If necessary, the appeal will be made to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Identified Hazards
1) Cigarette company literature and health officials have identified %u201Clight%u201D cigarettes as no less dangerous than regular cigarettes. Such light cigarettes contain equal amounts of carbon monoxide. The affect and harm of cigarette smoke varies depending upon the smoker%u2019s habit of taking longer, deeper and more frequent puffs on the cigarette. This is a widely accepted fact. Fire Safe Cigarettes require that a smoker inhale in less than one minute or the cigarette will extinguish itself. The need to keep a FSC cigarette burning increases the number of inhales per cigarette, and thus increases the amount of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide intake into the smoker%u2019s lungs. The result is more health-risk damage to the smoker.
2) The Fire Safe Cigarette design has resulted in more frequent ash, which may fall and ignite more fires than regular cigarettes.
3) Having to relight cigarettes increases the potential for more fire related accidents with matches and lighters.
4) The added and higher level chemicals contained in FSC cigarettes has proven to be more toxic than regular cigarettes and cause increased health related problems for smokers. Symptoms/conditions include, but are not limited to: Nausea, Sores in mouth and throat, Dry throat, constant headaches, extreme coughing, tightness in the chest, vomiting, body aches, pain in the abdomen and respiratory conditions including asthma and bronchitis.
a. The Harvard School of Health reported that when comparing NY Cigarettes (FSC) versus Regular Cigarettes, the FSC cigarettes produced 13.9% more Naphthalene and 11.4% more carbon monoxide than regular cigarettes.[1] Naphthalene is commonly found in moth balls, and exposure in high amounts can result in %u201CSymptoms of acute exposure include headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, malaise, confusion, anemia, jaundice, convulsions, and coma.%u201D[2] Therefore, it has been proven that FSC cigarettes contain higher levels of chemicals that are harmful to smokers.
b. Phillip Morris USA has reported that the Adhesive ethylene vinyl acetate and polyvinyl acetate are used in the non-tobacco ingredients of cigarettes produced as a Side-seam adhesive. However, Phillip Morris USA fails to distinguish the differences in levels between regular and FSC cigarettes. The amount does not exceed .6 % combined.[3] Since additional layers of paper are used in FSC cigarettes, more adhesive is needed in the form of ethylene vinyl acetate.
Safe smoking habits of responsible adults prevent fatalities from burning cigarettes. It is up to individuals to responsibly extinguish cigarettes. The creation of FSC cigarettes has created numerous hazards which cause more fatalities and problems than the small amount of lives saved from fires with the FSC cigarettes in use. Not only are the FSC cigarettes unsafe to smokers, it presents health problems and increases the damage of cigarettes. Due to inadequate testing by Cigarette Companies and government agencies, the FSC cigarette poses real and identified dangers to the smoking public. Therefore, the FSC laws are detrimental to the public good and must be repealed immediately.
All who hereto sign this petition support the immediate repeal of all FSC laws and support an allowance for Cigarette Companies to resume selling %u201Cregular cigarettes%u201D in retail stores within all States/Commonwealths in the United States of America.
Signed,
Citizens Against Fire Safe Cigarettes (WV)
[1] %u201CFire Safer Cigarettes %u2013 The Effect of the New York State Fire Safety Standard On Ignition Propensity, Smoke Toxicity, and the Consumer Market%u201D, Alpert/Carpenter/Connolly/Rees/Wayne and Harvard School of Public Health, 2005, http://firesafecigarettes.org/assets/files/HarvardStudy.pdf
[2] %u201CNaphthalene%u201D, Technology Transfer Network, Air Toxics Web Site, United States Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/naphthal.html
[3] %u201CCigarettes-Ingredients-Non-Tobacco Ingredients%u201D, Phillip Morris USA, http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/en/cms/Products/Cigarettes/Ingredients/Non_Tobacco_Ingredients/default.aspx?src=top_nav
I realized within the first weeks of smoking fires safety coded cigarettes that my cough had increased. I have a dry throat and have had a few headaches and I never had those before. I have been diagnosed with high blood pressure last month and I didn't have a problem with it before. I feel my esophagus burning.. also feel my only retaliation to this problem is to quit smoking and draw my social security and stop giving Phillip Morris $200 per month. Look out carnival cruise lines I'm saving up!
I think this is complete anarcy! I as a human being and as a tax payer should have the right to choose what I smoke. My question is, since president Obama smokes, is he smoking FSC or does he have a safe supply of normal cigarettes?
fsc cigarettes do nothing but promote more health risks, and health problems over long term exposure! a class action lawsuit should be taken against the non-informing of the more chemicals and increased health risks to the consumer! thats one reason the surgeon general warning is there in the first place. due to the lack of informing the public about its potential risks, at which it (cigarette companies) have just done again! no help to the stupid government!
I only just heard about the new FSC through a friend of mine when he called to ask me about some his own health concerns (I'm a RN) and I am appalled at the government for not advising the public of any of the potential health risks associated with the chemicals added to the cigarettes in this campaign. I have read of flu like symptoms, rashes,migraines, body aches... on and on... Even though I myself should quit, being in the health profession, the government is going to find itself in a big mess in 10, 20, 30 years when people start getting real sick from what they have done in adding these chemicals and not providing sufficient warning to the public. It is a direct violation of our rights. It will be interesting to see how the government weezles their way out of this one. Shame on them...
TELL THE GOV. TO LEAVE OUR SMOKES ALONE NO FSC!!!!!!!!
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I have been having horrendous headaches since I have been forced to smoke these FSC cigarettes. I do understand that I have the option to quit but as this is the only vice that I have to get through this crappy life with this government looking over everyone's shoulders, I prefer to continue just to spite them. In addition to the awful taste of them (tastes like glue), I have more burn holes in my home's carpet and my car's carpet from the chunks of lit ashes falling off. Not to mention the skin burns on my arms and legs. I am sure that one of these days I will cause an accident while driving, trying to save the interior of my car from being destroyed by these things. I recently came across a carton of non FSC cigs and I am totallly enjoying them and want them to last me forever. (Wishful thinking!) I would think the gov would have bigger and more important issues to deal with but I guess killing smokers faster IS more important than feeding and housing the starving children in this country. Dumba***s!
These are the most awful cigarettes to try to smoke. What is with the bits of lit paper flying all around. They flare up like afire in a fireplace. New and improved is awful. I am 67 years old , smoked for many years, enjoy each and everyone I smoke. But I despise this fire safety thing. They go out if you are not constantly smoking on them. Which, actually cause you to smoke more of the cigarette to keep it lit. The taste is not good anymore. I really do know how to be careful and not start a fire with my habit anyway. Why does our government have to step in and take charge of everything. Please. Let us live with out all the interference from the gov.
ok, so here is my story.... Oct 15th our state mandated the FSC.We as the smoking public were not informed. By the 1st week of November I experienced what I thought was a mild heart attack. Had another one a week later. Havent been to a doctor in 15 years. These episodes were so scary and painful I went to get checked out. EKG fine, Nuclear stress test shows nothing wrong with my heart. Doctor tells me they are panic attacks and wants to prescribe anti anxiety meds. I refuse. By 2-5-10 I am having 10-12 episodes a day. Took 10 days off work. Still having 10-12 episodes per day.2-14-10 I decided to look into FSC.WOW! Now I know what was happening. Our wonderful government has decided that since after massive price and tax raises we still decide to smoke, they are just going to kill us off because they dont want to pay for our long term care down the road if it becomes necessary.We went after Saddam Husein because he was experimenting on his own citizens. What is the difference with our government? So, I bought patches and with those, St Johns Wort and Redbulls, I have been 1 week smoke free. And Guess what? I havent had one episode of "panic attack" since I stopped smoking. HUH....wonder WHY? By the way, I was a pack and a half smoker per day for 27 years.
please, back to normal ciggs without FSC! At least give us smokers the option!
The side effects from the FSC'S is the worst. What if any kind of research was done before the jerks demanded that they be fire safe?
It appears no one is talking about polynuclear aromatic hyrdocardons or PAHs in the cigarette speed bumps. Isn't this what causes the cigarette to burn out? I have only smoked a few packs of the new FSC cigarettes, because I began getting sores on my lips, headaches, nausea and a very sore throat. My tongue and lips also felt numb. I have chosen to buy my cigarettes overseas and when they are not available, I will roll my own. It seems the government was so quick to pass this law without proper studies and without length in studies. It makes so sense to me, but the government seems to do what ever it wants, as long as it doesn’t affect them. The bottom line, there are many people addicted to nicotine and even though there are the FSC cigarettes. The addiction won’t go away, so what should have been done (by the government and tobacco companies) is instead of increasing/adding more chemicals in the cigarettes, was to make a cigarette with less chemicals. This is not rocket science, come on people.
Not enough research, another added chemical, tastes like crap, way to many ashes, don't want to smoke shoe glue, ... roll your own cigarettes. I'd rather smoke my own, hand rolled, unfiltered cigarette. When will we see FSC tins of dip?
these cigarettes suck ive been getting sick since theyve come out
FSC Cigarettes are very hard on the smoker. They cause you to feel sick to your stomach, they hurt your throat. We should have the choice.
This is legislation against smokers as a class without representation, in violation of the writ of mandamus clause of the constitution. Big Brother is the American government and he is poisoning us for our own good! The "FSC" cigarettes taste awful and will give you a headache. I do not need govvernment mandated aversion therapy! Just because some smokers are careless and uncaring and toss their lit butts out should not mean we all as a group should be poisoned. If you take a wet, durable cloth, such as is used for cleaning glass, and wipe the paper off vigorously, but not applying enough force to tear it, you can remove a lot of the poisonous, foul flame retardant, the cig will burn evenly again, and taste almost normal again, too.
This could be why I can't seem to get rid of the headaches I've been having for the last 2 months.
Fire safe cigarettes are both a hazard and a joke. Stupid people cause fires and accidents with guns, cars,practically everything they touch. Laws can not eliminate stupid people. Stop the crap government we are fed up with your intereference in our personal lives.
I will not be forced to smoke any more disgusting additives than i have to and this is appalling that my state is pushing this garbage on its citizens without any feedback because they know it would get rejected immediately.
I,my husband,5 of my sons and allota of our friends have all ben experiencing nausea-severe headaches-lung infection.ive ben so sik frm them that they gave me a migraine that i thougt id die frm.imgine a migraine-lung nfectin@same time.cough head splitn open.lovely feeln.we should all jus sue them.who r they2gve us an addiction-legally-an then put worse chemicals n it2make them SAFE NOW?what about the millions they killed w the cigs already..my mom died w lung cancer frm smoking.government is takn every rite we have frm us.NO ONES STANDN UP4THEM. I AM...I WILL.
To me the new FSC smell worse.
These fire safety cigarrettes are vial and not only leave more chemicals in our bodies, but the "fire Safety" is a joke. You can drop the cigarrette on the carpet and it will still burn the carpet, couch, whatever. It just goes out while your are trying to smoke it and the extra chemical leaves a terrible taste in your mouth. The government needs to mind there business, they already take every penny we make,no to try to kill us much quicker makes me believe the government is trying to make our free country communist like North Korea or China. The lawmakers of American need to concentrate more on keeping our country safe like not letting these crazy bombers on planes with all this so called security then worry about a few smokers. Wake up American governement and worry about what is actually imortant to this country.
80401'
Despite the fact that it's "acceptable" in public opinion for smokers to "get what they deserve," I am challenging that attitude by simply saying- "no we don't" and we won't accept being the guinnea pig for the chemical companies, cigarette makers, etc. We don't need the government to babysit us or any if our vices. These new "Flame Retardant Cigarettes are a JOKE! They're the most HAZARDOUS thing I've seen since lawn darts! They actually cause MORE FIRE HAZARD as they develop a HUGE strange ash that falls and STICKS. I've burned more body parts, clothing, and upholstry since these ridiculous frauds hit the market! Plus I have to smoke TWICE as much for half the enjoyment. I never ONCE experienced ANY of those things in all my previous years of smoking. It's RIDICULOUS! The FSCt increases the health risks exponentially, ruins the product that the government makes money from and does little to force quitting (as probably intended). The biggest problem is that they are incredibly messy and have INCREASED the fire hazards around me... including me! It's beyond wrong to slip a known hazarous chemical into the cigarette supply without a public campaign to inform everyone and not give us a chance to put our 2 cents worth on the RECORD! I'm ready to sue for damages to my furniture, car and person... etc! All the usual smoking-related illnesses aside- which is the risk I CHOOSE to take... Just like the risk others take when you shove that Big Mac into your arteries, or poison your liver with alcohol... etc, etc. GET THESE FSCs OFF THE MARKET NOW! Don't put flame retardant in my cigarettes and I won't put dumb- retardant in your whiskey. Deal?
I think that the fire safe cigarettes are more dangerous with all the side effects people are having than the cigs themselves. I want to quit smoking but have so many effects that I haven't been able to yet. I found out it can affect the kidneys, liver and other organs and can destroy them. why would you want to add more bad things into cigs? Take it out. Its not bad enough we are regulated and punished to death for smoking. This is a free country where we are able to make choices for our lives. It is about time the govt recognized that and stop raising taxes on cigs and making us pay for the ones who dont smoke who dont get taxed. Thank you, Sincerely, Cindy L. Evans
