Can I Buy FSC Free Cigarettes?

New laws dictate that cigarettes extinguish themselves if they are not being smoked.

While it is possible to buy non-FSC cigarettes, the likelihood of finding them is minimal. In response to newly imposed state laws across the nation, tobacco companies have ceased making cigarettes that do not meet standards set forth in FSC laws.

Definition

FSC stands for "fire standards compliant," though the acronym sometimes is thought to stand for "fire-safe cigarettes." These cigarettes are designed to extinguish if they are not being smoked.

How They Work

FSC cigarettes are made with special banded paper. The bands on this paper act like "speed bumps," according to the Philip Morris USA Inc. website, that inhibit the flow of oxygen through the paper. Because fire needs oxygen to burn, the paper is designed to hamper the cigarette from burning if there is no one actively drawing on it to bring oxygen through the paper.

The Law

Most states have laws that require all cigarettes sold within their borders to be FSC. Those that do not currently have the laws in place will by 2012. As a result, tobacco companies such as Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds now exclusively make FSC cigarettes. However, it is possible there are still some cigarettes out there that were made before the change. In such cases, in some states, those cigarettes may still be sold as long as the tax stamp is dated before the law goes into effect.

References

• Philip Morris USA: Fire Standards Compliant Cigarettes
• RJ Reynolds: State and Local Regulations: Fire-Standards Compliant Cigarettes
• Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes: States that have passed fire-safe cigarette laws
• Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes: About fire-safe cigarettes