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Wisconsin Fire-Safe Cigarettes Certification As of October 1, 2009, cigarette manufacturers must have certified to the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Safety and Buildings Division, that cigarettes the manufacturers sell in Wisconsin are fire-safe. This new certification is a result of 2007 Wisconsin Act 225.
You may see the 2007 Wisconsin Act 225's text online. You can find the statutes referenced by the act online, most notably ss. 167.35, Stats. ** SBD-10887 Fire Safety Performance Manufacturer Certification (R03/09), PDF file The Safety and Buildings Division is coordinating the implementation and enforcement of the new Fire-Safe certification regulations with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, which maintains a registry of cigarette manufacturers. As a company's cigarettes are certified to be fire-safe, the three-year certification will be noted in that registry. Questions about the registry process may be directed to Sabrina Stricker, sabrina.stricker@wi.gov, 608-261-8466. Questions about the Wisconsin Fire-Safe Cigarettes Program may be directed to Joe Hertel, joe.hertel@wi.gov, 608-266-5649. What is a fire-safe cigarette? A fire-safe cigarette has a reduced tendency to burn when left unattended. The most common fire-safe technology used by cigarette manufacturers is to wrap cigarettes with two or three thin bands of less-porous paper that act as “speed bumps” to slow down a burning cigarette. If a fire-safe cigarette is left unattended, the burning tobacco will reach one of these speed bumps and self-extinguish. Fire-safe cigarettes save lives Smoking materials are the number one cause of fire deaths in the United States, with 700 to 900 people still die each year due to cigarette-ignited fires.. The good news is that improved standards for cigarette-resistant materials in furniture and mattresses, and public education have all helped cut down the number of fires caused by smoking materials and have saved many lives. See ABC News report on early results of fire-safe cigarettes in New York State . Fire-Safe cigarettes can still ignite furniture or bedding. All cigarettes have the potential to ignite fires, but the use of “fire-safe” technology provides a tremendous reduction in those risks. A fire-safe cigarette cuts off the burning time before most cigarettes are able to ignite things like furniture or bedding material. County Web sites || City/Town/Village Web sites || State Portal || Build Your Business Email this page's manager, Todd Taylor, ttaylor@commerce.state.wi.us or 608-267-3606 The Department of Commerce Safety and Buildings Division is an equal opportunity service provider and employer. If you need assistance to access services or need material in an alternate format, please contact us, 608-266-3151, TDD Relay dial 711 in Wisconsin or 800-947-3529, or ttaylor@commerce.state.wi.us |
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