Only fire-safe cigarettes can be sold in Hawai'i starting Oct. 1, 2009, according to a new state law signed yesterday by Gov. Linda Lingle.

Reduced-ignition cigarettes burn at a lower temperature, reducing possible fire hazards caused by smoldering cigarettes. The Hawai'i Fire Council said 438 fires caused by cigarettes in Hawai'i between 2001 and 2006 caused $1.5 million in property damage and resulted in 10 injuries.

Hawai'i plans to use certifications from 10 other states, which have similar laws, to determine which of the 2,156 brand styles of cigarettes currently sold here qualify as low-ignition cigarettes. New York state records, for example, qualify 1,216 brands and styles.

The legislation was originally placed on the potential veto list because it did not provide the council, which has only a part-time staff, with the resources to implement the program. The bill calls for a $375 fee for the Fire Council to certify each low-ignition cigarette type that would be sold in the state. However, the bill placed these fees in the state's general fund, thus failing to make the money available to the Fire Council. The fire chiefs have indicated they will seek to change this provision in the 2009 legislative session.