Smoking

Sitting in your favorite chair and having a cigarette after dinner seems to some like a great way to relax – but cigarettes and relaxing can be a deadly mix. Falling asleep while smoking can ignite clothing, rugs and materials used in upholstered furniture. Using alcohol and medications that make you sleepy compounds this hazard.

Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths and the second leading cause of injuries among people ages 65 and older. Cigarettes continue to burn when they are not properly extinguished. When a resting cigarette is accidentally knocked over, it can smolder for hours before a flare-up occurs. Before you light your next cigarette, remember:

• Put your cigarette or cigar out at the first sign of feeling drowsy while watching television or reading.
• Use deep ashtrays and put your cigarette all the way out.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Don't walk away from lit cigarettes and other smoking materials.
• Don't put ashtrays on the arms of sofas or chairs.