Tobacco Lobby Aims To Stub Out Safer Cigarettes

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The Tobacco Manufacturers Association (TMA), a U.K.-based trade association, is lobbying against a European Union proposal to require companies to manufacture cigarettes that reduce the chances of causing a fire if not being smoked. The director of the Action on Smoking and Health UK, Deborah Arnott, told The Observer that tobacco industry documents reveal that the technology has existed for 20 years "yet the industry is still trying to argue that the time is not right and to push for yet more delay." The cigarettes were introduced into the United States two years ago. The Director of the TMA, Chris Ogden, said "we are not opposed to sensible regulation but we want to be sure that it's justified." TMA's major members are British American Tobacco, Gallaher Ltd and Imperial Tobacco.