Testimony of Johanna Neumann of the Maryland Public Interest Research Group (Maryland PIRG)
Position: FAVORABLE
The Maryland Public Interest Research Group (Maryland PIRG) requests a favorable report on House Bill 785, requiring cigarettes sold in Maryland to self-extinguish when not in use. Cigarette-started fires are the most fatal type of fire. While no cigarette is truly fire safe, reduced ignition cigarettes are significantly less likely to start fires, saving the lives of citizens, reducing the risk to our firefighters, and saving millions of dollars in property damage each year.
Cigarette caused fires are the leading cause of fire death in our state, responsible for an average of 20% of all of the civilian fire deaths in any given year. From 2000-2005, cigarette caused fires in Maryland killed 100 people and directly caused a total of $36.1 million in property damage. For decades, the government has created standards and regulations to make all sorts of consumer products safer. The adoption of fire retardant pajamas, fire standards for lamps and space heaters, and child safety locks on lighters have all prevented fires and saved lives. The manufacturers of cigarettes should be held to the same basic fire safety standards as manufacturers of other consumer products that pose potential fire hazards.
Reduced ignition propensity cigarettes are designed to self-extinguish if not drawn on within a period of time. This is accomplished through paper bands, which act like a speed bump and slow down the burn rate of the cigarette. Unattended, the cigarette will extinguish itself when it reaches the band. New York, California, Vermont, and Canada all mandate the sale of these cigarettes, and Massachusetts and New Hampshire are currently considering similar legislation. These cigarettes are proven to work – since New York enacted their law, not a single fire has been started by a reduced ignition cigarette.
Tobacco lobbyists argue that fire safer cigarettes are more harmful to smokers and cost more than cigarettes without the fire safety standard. Both arguments are untrue. First, Harvard School of Public Health research showed a 10% increase of carbon monoxide in fire safe cigarettes compared to the regular cigarettes in the same brands. Yet this variation is actually quite low, considering that the variation in carbon monoxide between cigarettes within the Marlboro family alone ranges up to 500%. Cigarettes are extremely lethal in terms of health outcomes, and there is no evidence to show that a 10% increase or decrease in carbon monoxide alters the already high risk of disease.
Second, in New York, the tobacco industry has easily complied with recently adopted reduced ignition propensity regulations set there. Fire safer cigarettes sold in New York since the adoption of the standards have not increased cigarette costs. The Harvard study analyzed eight months of cigarette sales using excise tax revenue data available since June 28, 2004, when the New York standard came into effect. Statistical analysis demonstrated no significant effect on cigarette sales since the introduction of the standard. Enacting this law will not change consumption habits by smokers. In consumer tests, smokers could not tell the difference between reduced ignition propensity cigarettes and the regular cigarette of the same brand.
The only difference between fire safer cigarettes and regular ones is the ability to save lives. Requiring cigarette companies to sell only a fire safe product in Maryland will significantly reduce the casualty rate and save millions of dollars each year in property damage, fire and rescue costs and health care expenses resulting from cigarette caused fires.
Maryland PIRG respectfully requests a favorable report on HB785.
