Smoking Safety

poster with graphic of a hand holding a cigarette and copy that says "Don't be a flicking idiot. Tossed butts start fires."Lit cigarette butts can smoulder for hours before starting a fire.

Tossing your butt off the balcony may feel like the easiest way to get rid of your cigarette, but it can also be the easiest way to start a fire.

When you flick a lit butt off a balcony, you probably assume it will land on the street below. Not always. The wind can blow your cigarette butt onto another balcony where it can land in a dry flower pot, on combustible material or in between outdoor couch cushions. And before you know it, your building could be on fire.

Stop fires before they start. Make sure you put your cigarette butt right out when you’re done smoking. And don’t toss your butt off your balcony.

 

Download: Smoking Safety Poster #1 | Smoking Safety Poster #2

  • Make sure you stub your cigarette butt out completely when you’re done smoking.
  • Don’t toss your butt off the balcony.
  • Dispose of your butt by:
    • putting it in a sturdy ashtray with a wide, stable base or a can filled with sand to collect the ashes.
    • Soak cigarette butts and ashes in water before throwing them away.
  • Don’t smoke when you’re tired or consuming alcohol and there’s a danger you could fall asleep while smoking.