Are fire safe cigarettes actually fire safe? Evidence from changes in US state laws. Issue 3 (19th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bonander, Carl; Jakobsson, Niklas; Nilson, Finn
• Is Part Of: Injury prevention. Volume 24:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 193
• Page End: 198
• Publication Date: 2017-06-19
• Subjects: Reduced ignition propensity -- Lower ignition propensity -- Fire safety standard compliant cigarettes -- Outcome Evaluation -- Legislation; Children's accidents -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Accidents -- Prevention -- Periodicals; 617.1
• DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2017-042322
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-8047

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To estimate the effects of fire safe cigarette laws on fire mortality and cigarette-related fires in the USA. Methods: We examined the gradual implementation of the laws to identify their average effects, using difference-in-differences analysis to account for common year effects, time-invariant state effects, state-specific trends and observable time-varying state-level covariates. Results: We found no statistically significant effects on all-cause fire mortality, residential fire mortality or cigarette-caused fire rates. The estimates for cigarette-caused fire deaths were significant under some specifications, but were not robust to the inclusion of state-specific trends or comparisons to effects on other cause-determined fires. Conclusions: Given the mixed state of our results, we conclude that previous claims regarding the effects of fire safe cigarette laws may be premature.