title: The impact of reduced ignition propensity cigarette regulation on smoking behaviour in a cohort of Ontario smokers.
abstract: This study examined the degree to which legislation intended to reduce the incidence of cigarette-caused fires influenced the behaviours of a cohort of smokers in Ontario. A random digit dialled telephone survey of adult smokers residing in Ontario was conducted in 2005, ending 1 month prior to the reduced ignition propensity (RIP) regulation's implementation date. A follow-up survey was conducted one year later. Of the baseline participants, 73.0% (n=435) completed the follow-up survey. The frequency of fire risk behaviours was similar across both surveys. At baseline, only 3.7% of smokers interviewed reported that their cigarettes went out on their own 'often' while smoking. Following the implementation of the reduced ignition propensity legislation, this increased significantly to 14.7%. Results suggest that the proportion of Ontario smokers who reported engaging in behaviour such as leaving a cigarette burning unattended and smoking in bed actually declined, although these declines were not statistically significant across all measures of fire risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York 14263, USA.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Brian V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Fix
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Giovino
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hyland
authors.forename: Geoffrey T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: K Michael
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Cummings
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult