Plea made over 'safe' cigarettes

Canada has introduced legislation on self-extinguishing cigarettes

Self-extinguishing cigarettes should be introduced in Scotland, according to the Scottish National Party.

Stewart Maxwell, a list MSP for the West of Scotland, has tabled a motion urging the Scottish Parliament to follow Canada's lead over the move.

Canada is aiming to force tobacco firms to make cigarettes extinguish before they set fire to furniture.

But a Scottish Executive spokeswoman said parliament did not have the power to pass such legislation.

Mr Maxwell said Scotland had one of the worst fire-death rates in Europe and needed "to address this terrible statistic".

He said: "The introduction of fire-safe cigarettes in Scotland is one of the simplest measures that we could take to dramatically cut the number of fire fatalities.

'Save lives'

"I am calling upon the Scottish fire brigades and the insurance companies to back my campaign to save lives and protect property by joining me in urging the Scottish Executive to follow Canada's lead and legislate for the introduction of fire-safe cigarettes."

But an executive spokeswoman said: "Product design regulation is a reserved matter, so it is not open to the Scottish Parliament to legislate in this area.

"But we would obviously encourage smokers to take care with smoking materials, as nearly four out of 10 fire deaths are caused by careless use of smoking materials."

Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Mac Armstrong has said a ban on smoking in workplaces in Glasgow could save up to 1,000 lives each year.

He also warned of the damage to which non-smokers were exposed as they worked in smoke-filled atmospheres.