Smoking

The Facts

• Cigarettes burn at 700°c.
• Tobacco is designed to remain alight.
• More people die in fires caused by smoking than any other source.
• 106,000 people in the UK die every year due to the effects of smoking.

Best Practice

1. Never smoke in the home; always go outside - not only will this make the home safer and healthier but will also help you quit.
2. Failing the above, never smoke in a bedroom or anywhere else you usually sleep.
3. Always have a working smoke alarm in a home especially if people smoke; you can read more about smoke alarms in our Smoke Alarms Save Lives section.

Precautions

• Never leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended, especially when children are present.
• Always use a suitable ashtray, never put ash straight into a bin with other rubbish.
• Remove ash deposits from ashtrays regularly.
• Always use child-resistant lighters and matches and store them out of reach from children.
• Take extra care when you are tired - falling asleep whilst smoking is the most common cause of smoking related fires.

...and what about those e-cigarettes?

An electronic cigarette, also known as an e-cigarette, is an electronic inhaler that vaporises a liquid solution into an aerosol mist, simulating the act of tobacco smoking.

All e-cigarettes use a rechargeable battery to power the vaporiser and these batteries need to be recharged on a regular basis. A number of incidents have been reported nationally whereby the battery has either overheated or exploded during the charging process.

E-cigarettes are known to contain lithium ion batteries; these types of battery are known to have caused fires in the past due to thermal runaway which can be caused by overcharging, physical damage or a defect within the battery during manufacture. Members of the public are advised to always follow manufacturer's instructions and guidance when charging e-cigarette battery packs.

A further point of note is that some e-cigs may not have a plug, they charge by connecting the battery into a USB and then into a laptop, therefore following the manufacturer's instructions for the charging time is essential.

Power adaptors used for charging e-cigarettes should comply with The Electrical (Safety) Equipment Regulations 1994 and The Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2006. They must be marked with the following:

• CE Mark
• The name or trademark of the manufacturer or responsible supplier.
• Unique identifier e.g. model, type, batch/serial number.
• The rated voltage(s), power/current and frequency.

Recently there has been an increase in the number of unbranded chargers found on the market, which have been found non-compliant. Specific risks found include:

• Wiring not mechanically retained.
• Lack of instructions.
• Overheating of the charger.
• Possibility of fire.
• Non conformity of the plug part.
• Electric shock via the secondary parts.

As well as the above requirements it is recommended that only the battery and charger provided with the e-cigarette are used when charging.

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Stopping Smoking

Follow the links below for information about the effect smoking has on your health and for practical help and advice on quitting.

The links below may take you to an external website, Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service cannot be held responsible for the content of external websites.

Get help to stop smoking

10 health benefits of stopping smoking

Stop smoking without putting on weight

Smoking cost calculator - See the financial and health costs of your habit 

Quit smoking support on your desktop - This desktop widget delivers a daily motivational message for 30 days, keeps track of how much money you're saving and how many days it has been since your last cigarette.

Quit smoking iPhone App - Receive daily support on your iPhone with this 30-day quit-smoking app. It includes a motivational counter and calendar to keep you on track. Get it on iTunes.

Atlas of risk - This atlas will help you to put health risks and death rates into perspective. Use it to compare cause of death and risks to health based on sex, age and region.