HSPH hosted the first world conference on fire safer cigarettes on December 9. The worldwide toll of cigarette-induced fires has been estimated as approximately 14,000 deaths and $4 billion in costs per year. Tobacco manufacturers have the technology to make self-extinguishing cigarettes, but they only sell the products where required by law—currently in New York State and Canada. Pictured above is John Mueller, chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau, New York Office of Fire Prevention and Control. A webcast is available at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/fire_safer_cigarettes/webcast.html
Copyright, 2009, President and Fellows of Harvard College
