Social media material March 2026

Smoking

Accidental fires started by cigarettes kill more people than any other fire. When smoking, make sure you #PutItOutRightOut. #NoSmokingDay
Just one last cigarette? Make sure you put it out, right out before you go to bed. Never smoke in bed. #FireKills #NoSmokingDay

If you have to smoke indoors, remember to ‘put it out – right out’ and:
- Make sure cigarettes, cigars and pipes are properly extinguished when you have finished smoking.
- Don’t leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended – they can easily over-balance as they burn down, and this could lead to a fire starting.
- Never smoke in bed.
- Use a proper ashtray that won’t tip over easily and is made of material that won’t burn.
- Never tap ash or empty an ashtray into a wastepaper basket
Take extra care if you smoke when you’re tired, taking prescription drugs or if you’ve been drinking. You might fall asleep and set your bed, sofa or clothing on fire.
Make sure that ashtrays are emptied frequently, damping down the contents with water before disposing of them into a metal bin outside the home. And never tap ash or empty an ashtray into a wastepaper basket.
E-cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular and, with more people using the devices, we are seeing more and more incidents relating to them across the country. This is because they are battery powered with either single-use batteries or lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. These batteries can fail whilst on charge, sometimes with explosive force. The following advice should always be followed by e-cigarette users:
- Never leave e-cigarettes on charge and unattended for long periods, and never leave a device on charge overnight.
- Don’t mix components of different e-cigarettes.
- Only use the charger supplied.
- Ensure that you purchase your e-cigarette from a reputable source.
- Check the e-cigarette carries CE certification.
- Follow the manufacturer’s guidance.
- Never charge e-cigarettes near or on combustible or flammable materials.
- Contact Trading Standards over any e-cigarette safety concerns.