Healthy Communities News
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7/26/2006
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BOSTON—Massachusetts has become the sixth state in the country to require tobacco companies to sell only ‘fire-safe’ cigarettes. The bill was approved by both the legislature in June and signed by Governor Romney on Saturday. | |
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7/25/2006
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Lawmakers, fire officials, advocates and victims’ families celebrated the passage of the Fire-Safe Cigarettes Bill on Tuesday at a state house reception. On July 8, Governor Romney signed the bill into law, making Massachusetts the sixth state in the country to require tobacco companies to sell only self-extinguishing cigarettes. | |
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6/10/2006
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BOSTON—Massachusetts is poised to become the sixth state in the country to require tobacco companies to sell only "fire-safe" cigarettes. The bill was approved by both the House and Senate and is awaiting the Governor's signature. | |
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4/27/2005
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BOSTON—In anticipation of a public hearing on May 4th, a coalition of lawmakers and victims, consumer, fire protection and public health groups called for passage of a bill that would save lives and millions of dollars in property damage each year in the Commonwealth. | |
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4/22/2007
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Boston—Exposure to dangerous toxic pollution from industrial facilities threatens communities in Massachusetts and across the country, according to a new report released today by MASSPIRG. Despite those threats, the EPA recently moved to restrict public access to this information, by rolling back parts of the federal Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), a 20 year old program that makes information about toxics released in local communities public. | |
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3/27/2006
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On Wednesday March 22, 2006 the state Senate passed the fire safe cigarettes bill (newly re-rafted SB 2403), taking Massachusetts one step closer to being the fourth state to enact fire safety standards for cigarettes, following New York in 2000, Vermont in May 2005, and California in October 2005. | |
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12/20/2004
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BOSTON—As last minute shoppers crowd into malls and stores across the state, a coalition of health, environmental and scientific groups called on Governor Romney to mandate safer ingredients in consumer products. Some popular holiday gifts like children's toys made from PVC plastic, fragrance sets and cosmetics can contain toxic chemicals such as lead, cadmium, phthalates, formaldehyde, and others that are linked to cancer, birth defects, liver and kidney damage, reproductive abnormalities and learning disabilities. | |
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11/20/2007
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Boston, MA--Hazardous toys are still sold in stores across the country, according to the 22nd annual toy safety survey released today by the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group Education Fund (MASSPIRG). | |
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10/31/2007
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With growing awareness of the trash, waste, and public health problems that come from throwaway containers, the Legislature is scheduled to consider updating the Bottle Law at 10:30am on Wednesday, October 31. | |
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10/25/2005
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BOSTON—The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security favorably passed the “fire-safe cigarettes” bill (HB 1914 & SB 1345) from committee today, taking Massachusetts one step closer to being the fourth state to enact fire safety standards for cigarettes, following New York in 2000, Vermont in May 2005, and California in October 2005. | |
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1/24/2005
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The Campaign to Pass the Moakley Bill, a coalition of consumer, fire protection and public health organizations announced a revitalized effort to pass a fire prevention bill that would save dozens of lives and millions of dollars in property damage each year in the Commonwealth. | |
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1/2/2004
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Smoking is and has been for years the leading cause of fatal household fires in Massachusetts. Annually, cigarette fires kill 18 people, injure 67 firefighters and 80 civilians, and destroy almost $8 million in property, according to a MASSPIRG report, "Where There's Smoking, There's Fire," that examined cigarette fires over an 11 year period. In 2000, smoking caused one-third of all residential fire deaths in the Bay State—more than space heaters, candles, arson, and cooking fires combined. Between 1990-99, 178 people were killed, 677 firefighters hurt, and over $75 million in property damaged because of fires ignited by smoking. | |
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1/18/2004
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BOSTON—In a move that public health advocates have hailed as one of the strongest pieces of public health policy in Massachusetts history, Governor Romney signed into law the Statewide Workplace Smoking Ban which would eliminate smoking in most workplaces, including bars and restaurants. | |
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1/18/2004
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BOSTON—In a move that public health advocates have hailed as one of the strongest pieces of public health policy in Massachusetts history, Governor Romney signed into law the Statewide Workplace Smoking Ban which would eliminate smoking in most workplaces, including bars and restaurants. | |
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1/10/2004
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BOSTON—In a move that public health advocates have hailed as one of the strongest pieces of public health policy in Massachusetts history, the Legislature passed the Statewide Smoking Ban which would eliminate smoking in most workplaces, including bars and restaurants. | |
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08/15/2007
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The unfortunate news that another 9 million toys tainted with lead paint or dangerous small magnets were recalled today underscores many problems. | |
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08/01/2007
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Statement of Janet S. Domenitz, MASSPIRG Executive Director, on the recall of 1 million toys manufactured in China that are tainted with lead paint: | |