State mandate -- aimed at preventing blazes -- will go in effect Thursday
Jump to full article: Wilmington (DE) News Journal, 2008-12-30
Author: TERRI SANGINITI and IRA PORTER
Intro: After a fast-moving fire caused by a discarded cigarette claimed three lives near New Castle last year, state fire officials urged legislators to mandate fire-safe cigarettes in Delaware.
Beginning 12:01 a.m. Thursday, a new law will require all cigarettes sold in Delaware be reduced ignition propensity cigarettes -- better known as fire-safe cigarettes.
"This is a significant step in Delaware," Assistant State Fire Marshal Michael Chionchio said. "The goal for us is fire prevention."
Delaware joins 22 other states, plus the District of Columbia, in enacting fire-safe cigarette laws. New York was the first state to pass such a law in June 2004.
Laws in Delaware, Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas and Pennsylvania all take effect Thursday.
Another 15 states have laws that take effect later in 2009 and in 2010, while New Jersey and Maryland implemented fire-safe cigarette laws this year, according to the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes.
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