Burn Limit: Legislature requires self-extinguishing cigarettes

Connecticut is poised to join several other states, including Massachusetts, New York and Vermont, in requiring all cigarettes sold here to be self-extinguishing. Beginning July 1, cigarettes sold in the state must be made with what is known as Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity — they go out on their own. The law is designed to help reduce the risk of fires caused by an unsupervised cigarette. Careless smoking is listed as one of the leading causes of residential fires, behind candle burning and cooking equipment, according to the National Fire Protection Association. The act, passed last year by the General Assembly, will not affect the cigarettes in any other way except how they burn. They will be the same price and contain the same amounts of tar and nicotine. There will be a stamp on the package that states it is fire-safe compliant.

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