Just when you thought every law that could be passed against the tobacco industry had been passed, the Utah government has joined 34 other states in placing another restriction on smoking. 

All cigarettes sold in Utah must now be self-extinguishing. That means once the smoker stops puffing, the cigarette will put itself out like a cigar without the need for a second foot squashing on those smoldering sidewalk cigs.

David Neville of the Utah State Health Department believes the move will help prevent fires started by unextinguished cigarettes.

"In the last few years alone, [in Utah] there have been over 250 fires caused by cigarettes, over 30 injuries and six deaths, not to mention millions in property damage."

The fire safe cigarettes have two or three bands of less porous paper wrapped around the tobacco. When the flame reaches these thicker bands or smoking "speed bumps," it usually extinguishes.

Since New York passed a similar law in 2004, deaths from fires caused by cigarettes have dropped from 48 to 28 per year.

By the end of 2009, tobacco industry spokesmen say that all cigarettes will be self-extinguishing. 

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