Hansard

In 2004, some 7,420 fires occurred in homes in Scotland. Those fires resulted in 1,858 non-fatal casualties and 76 fatalities. Of the 76 deaths, 30 were caused by cigarettes or other tobacco products. Smoking-related fires in the home are the most dangerous type of fire because they are far more likely to kill and injure people than other domestic fires. In 2004, smoking materials were the cause of 44 per cent of fatal fires in dwellings. The next highest cause was cooking appliances, which were responsible for 26 per cent of fatalities, followed by space heaters and candles, which accounted for 6 per cent each. The figures clearly show that, for fatal fires in the home, cigarettes are far and away the biggest single source of fires. We need to confront that fact and tackle the problem at source.

Fortunately, there is a way of doing just that. Reduced ignition potential cigarettes—more commonly known as self-extinguishing or fire-safe cigarettes—are designed to go out after a short time if they are not actively smoked. Small bands of slightly thicker paper along the length of the cigarette prevent the cigarette from burning down completely. In other words, RIP cigarettes do not smoulder. That is vital for fire safety, as research from both the US and the United Kingdom shows that smouldering cigarettes are responsible for nine out of 10 smoking-related fire deaths. Research published in the UK shows that fire-safe cigarettes could cut the number of accidental house fires that are caused by smouldering cigarettes by as much as two thirds.

Fire research report 8 states:

"Fires started by smokers' materials tend to result in more property damage than other fires, on average four times higher than fires caused by other methods."

The savings to the Scottish economy of preventing such fires are self-evident.

The tobacco industry has dismissed such research. However, we no longer have to rely on laboratory experiments alone, because we now have a real example of what happens when fire-safe cigarettes are made compulsory. Canada and the US states of New York, Vermont and California have made fire-safe cigarettes mandatory. New York state is the first to have the new law in place, and the results speak for themselves. In the first year after the law came into effect, the number of people killed by cigarette-related fires fell by almost a third. People are alive today because of the introduction of fire-safe cigarettes in New York. In Scotland, that could mean 10 fewer deaths, 300 fewer non-fatal casualties and a reduction in the number of fires in the home by 1,000 or more. Those are extremely conservative estimates. Compulsory fire-safe cigarettes could result in a reduction of between a third and a half in smoking-related fires and fire deaths. Some research puts the figure as high as a reduction of between two thirds and three quarters.

Whatever the figure may be, the fact is that introducing fire-safe cigarettes would save lives, stop injuries and prevent fires. Unsurprisingly, a number of other US states are actively considering introducing fire-safe cigarette laws. Unfortunately, the tobacco industry has been using its influence, its money and a campaign of disinformation to block the introduction of those laws. In Maryland, the vote on the fire-safe cigarette bill was 124 in favour and 12 against. However, two senators filibustered the final session and blocked the introduction of the law. One of them was Maryland state senator George Della, who admits that he receives campaign funds from tobacco firms, although he claims that the tobacco firms do not own him. Perhaps they do not own him, but they rent him and his vote by the hour. Those tactics are not surprising, but they are disreputable.

In 1994, the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company stated:

"We do not know how to make a cigarette that exhibits reduced ignition propensity that is consumer acceptable … extensive consumer testing showed that they are not marketable".

That was a lie—there is no other word for it. Internal tobacco company documents prove that they have known for more than 20 years how to make such cigarettes. On the issue of market acceptability, documents from RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris show that, when they consumer-tested fire-safe cigarettes, those were equally acceptable to smokers. In blind tests, smokers could not tell the difference. They look and taste the same as normal cigarettes. Unfortunately, they are just as addictive and damaging to the health of smokers, but they cut dramatically the number of fires that are caused by cigarettes.

I hope that when he responds to the debate, the minister will not try to use the excuse that the issue is reserved, because I do not accept that argument. I accept that product design is a reserved matter, but fire safety is devolved. What I propose is clearly a fire safety measure. When I proposed a ban on smoking in enclosed public places, many people said that the matter was reserved, because health and safety is reserved. Instead, we introduced a public health law, because public health is devolved. That was a creative use of our powers. In the same way, we can use our powers over fire safety to make fire-safe cigarettes compulsory in Scotland. We can lead the way in Europe on the issue.

In conclusion, I point out that the measure is supported by many organisations, especially the Fire Brigades Union and the Chief Fire Officers Association Scotland. The FBU said:

"Stewart Maxwell's initiative will constitute a huge advance in Fire Safety and will serve to make a significant reduction in Scotland's atrocious fire deaths record."

On behalf of the Chief Fire Officers Association Scotland, Assistant Chief Officer McGillivray said:

"Fire-safe cigarettes would dramatically reduce fire deaths in Scotland and the Association calls on the Scottish Executive to introduce legislation to that effect."

Dr Jeff Wigand, of whom many members will have heard, is a former tobacco industry scientist turned whistleblower. He found out about this debate through the web and this afternoon he sent me an e-mail. In it he said:

"I applauded the Scottish Parliament for introducing its smoking regulations. Now I urge it to demonstrate the same duty of care by introducing legislation requiring reduced ignition potential cigarettes, which are already saving lives in the US."

Dr Wigand said that he would try to watch the debate on the web, and I hope that he gets the chance to see it. Scotland has led the way on bans on smoking in enclosed places and on public health. We should do the same when it comes to reducing the number of fire deaths.