cigarettes could help save scores of lives in NSW and across Australia, according to Emergency Services Minister, Steve Whan.

“From next week, only cigarettes designed to

self-extinguish can be produced or imported into Australia,” Mr Whan said.

“This simple step is a major advance in fire prevention, making cigarettes less of a fire risk for all Australians.

“It will boost the safety of the community and the nation’s firefighters, helping to significantly reduce the number of fires and fatalities from fires across the

country.

“The NSW Government and NSW Fire Brigades have proudly led the fight for the introduction of a fire safety standard for Australian cigarettes, and it was important to highlight this issue while the NSW Parliament was sitting given our leadership role in driving this legislation.”

Mr Whan said the new reduced fire-risk cigarettes could have the same impact on fire prevention as the introduction of child-proof cigarette lighters.

“Every year, more than 4500 fires across Australia are caused by cigarettes and at least 77 people lost their lives in fires started by cigarettes between 2000 and 2005.

“These fires are often caused by smokers falling asleep and dropping their cigarette or people carelessly discarding cigarette butts that can then start grass fires.

“Reduced fire-risk cigarettes can help to significantly reduce the risk of house or grass fires being started accidentally.”