London MEP campaigns for cigarette firms to 'RIP' off customers

9.36.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 1st Mar 2007

London's Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford is supporting a petition calling for fire-safer 'RIP' cigarettes to be made mandatory within the European Union in order to slash deaths from cigarette-related fires.

Reduced Ignition Propensity cigarettes have 'speed bumps' in the cigarette paper so that with oxygen restricted at the burning end, the cigarette is self-extinguishing i.e it goes out when not actively puffed or smoulders less dangerously. They are technically and economically feasible and already sold in New York and Canada.

In the UK alone, cigarettes not properly extinguished account for 125 deaths and 1300 injuries a year - with the highest rates being in inner London boroughs like Islington, Tower Hamlets and Southwark - while across the EU they are responsible for 1000 deaths annually. Cigarettes cause 40% of fire deaths in London.

Sarah Ludford said:

"Whilst the safest option would be if people gave up smoking - and as an ex-smoker, I know what a good health move that is! - at least we can lessen the fire risk. With cigarettes responsible for a large proportion of accidental fire deaths in Europe, tobacco companies and law-makers are guilty of culpable failure in not acting to reduce this tally."

"Deaths from cigarette-related fires have been dramatically cut in North America due to RIP cigarettes being sold. Tobacco companies' refusal to market these safer cigarettes in Europe causes a needless loss of life, so they must be forced to do so."