Kyprianou moves for child-safe lighters

E.U. HEALTH Commissioner Markos Kyprianou yesterday warned of the dangers of cigarette lighters, especially for children and warned that legislation would be implemented forcing manufacturers to make their products child-safe.

An estimated 34 to 40 people, often children, die annually in the EU due to children playing with unsafe lighters. Many more people suffer serious and permanent injuries. Considerable material damage caused by accidents with lighters is also reported every year, a statement from the EU said. Simple devices can be added to lighters to make them child-resistant, at an average cost of just 4 eurocents per lighter, it added.

A US study showed a 60 per cent decrease in fires started by children after a law on child resistant lighters was passed in the United States – proving the benefits of such legislation.
“I call on European Member States to help us protect our children and save their lives. At very low cost, producers and importers can apply safety standards which they have no problem in implementing elsewhere in the world when required. For just four eurocents, they can potentially save the life of a child – is this asking too much?,” said Kyprianou.

“With manufacturers refusing to implement voluntary standards, we are now forced to resort to legislation. The Commission has put its proposal on the table, it is now up to Member States to endorse it and help us save lives. I am confident they will not let European consumers – and children – down.”

More than one billion lighters are sold on the European market every year. In the UK alone between 1999 and 2003, an average of 5 deaths and 220 injuries every year were caused by children under the age of nine playing with lighters.