ENCINITAS: City considers ban on novelty lighters
By RUTH MARVIN WEBSTER - Staff Writer | ∞
ENCINITAS ---- The Encinitas City Council is set to decide Wednesday whether to ban the sale of lighters that look like toys.
Fire prevention and health safety advocates say so-called novelty lighters ---- which feature colorful designs such as model cars or miniature slot machines ---- are designed to attract children, who could be harmed by using them.
Since 1996, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled thousands of novelty lighters under the Child Safety Protection Act.
A handful of other cities in San Diego County ---- including the city of Vista ---- have already adopted similar bans on such lighters.
If the Encinitas council approves the measure, officials said the ordinance would take effect in 30 days, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.
Juvenile fire setting has been identified as the fastest growing fire threat in the United States, with more than 300 people killed ---- 30 percent being children ---- and almost $1 billion in property destroyed each year, some figures show.
The San Diego Burn Institute, San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association and many other safety organizations strongly oppose the sale and distribution of novelty lighters. The groups say there is no valid reason for such items.
Several stores in Encinitas display and sell the lighters, according to a city staff report.
City fire Marshal Bob Scott said that if the ordinance passes, violations would be classified as "infractions" under the city code.
Under the code, merchants can be fined $100 for the first infraction and $200 for the second infraction, within one year. Each additional violation within that same one-year period would be $500.
Contact staff writer Ruth Marvin Webster at (760) 901-4074 or rwebster@nctimes.com. Comment at nctimes.com.
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Rob wrote on Apr 22, 2008 6:07 PM:Where is it going to end? This nanny state b.s. is getting so ridiculous. I guess the government is so smart that they are going to legislate all danger right out of our lives. Next it will be no sharp pencils at schools and then all children will have to wear gloves because Lord knows you can poke your eye out with a finger. People are going insane!
Bob wrote on Apr 22, 2008 6:45 PM:When novelty lighters are outlawed, only outlaws will have novelty lighters!
Danny wrote on Apr 22, 2008 8:30 PM:Who determines what a lighter should look like? Are we going to hire staff to come up with policies and enforce this ridiculous issue. Lets have a lighter Commission. What percentage of the 300 deaths per year were caused by novelty lighters? Probably insignifigant Why don't you do something much more productive and outlaw the bred killing machine called Pitbulls.
Takes the talk off wrote on Apr 22, 2008 9:24 PM:the budget. The budget and the future unfunded health benefits for city employees - the big ticket items on the Council agenda tomorrow. The Council will also consider giving up more public right of way for a four lot subdivision.
Umm.. wrote on Apr 22, 2008 11:50 PM:What a novel concept..
Ms. Encinitas wrote on Apr 23, 2008 12:23 AM:Oh no. The word is out and its not looking pretty! The City doesn't need to worry about any new parks or projects after they realize the hurt we are in because of the lax accounting practices of yesteryear and union giveaways. OOOoooh, this ones going to be painful and the public is not going to like it. What staff recommended and who on council voted for all the huge union benefit increases?
Vince wrote on Apr 23, 2008 6:31 AM:The city would be a lot better off banning the "hiring center" at I-5 & Encinitas Blvd. Now THAT is something dangerous to EVERYONE!!
too much government wrote on Apr 23, 2008 7:17 AM:too much government with not a lot to do, apparently. isn't there a morepressing issue facing Encinitas?
bobby wrote on Apr 23, 2008 7:59 AM:I guess 7-11 has to stop selling those lighters that say 7-11... thats a novelty you know...
Melissa wrote on Apr 23, 2008 8:06 AM:No drinking on the beaches...no smoking on the beaches....no "fun" lighters in Encinitas...whats next???? Why dont they just program us with GPS systems so they know everything we do, and everywhere we go. They need to be focusing on more important issues like illegal immigrants on every corner, rather than a lighter that looks like a mini bottle of beer!!
SicTired wrote on Apr 23, 2008 8:33 AM:Oh, for G's sake!!! I suppose staff will recommend that we hire "consultants" to research this. Do the rest of our fair citizens realize that it's our tax dollars going to fund this type of nonsense?? Argh! NONSENSE!
Travis wrote on Apr 23, 2008 9:20 AM:Don't worry Melissa, that is sure to come very soon...
Jane wrote on Apr 23, 2008 12:28 PM:The poster was right. This is a distraction from the real issue. Thanks to new regulations, the City is forced to identify and fund previously unfunded liabilities so we will be less likely to end up like the City of San Diego. What is wrong with our City Manager and Council anyway? We should have been funding the liabilities the whole time! Here’s the bottom line. The City owes between $10,000,000.00 and $16,000,000.00 for retirement heath care pay. Meaning for my family of 6, our family now owes $1,200 more dollars to the union retirees. Thanks City for spending all of our tax dollars on union benefits and not improvements to our community.
Surprised wrote on Apr 23, 2008 12:59 PM:More from parents who don't want to take the time to watch and teach their kids. To busy chasing the "good life" and want government, us taxpayers, to take on their responsibilities. Rather than having kids because you think it is the "thing to do", have them because you want to take care of them and raise them to be responsible adults. It does not take a village, it takes responsible parents.
John F. wrote on Apr 23, 2008 6:23 PM:I am going to remember the City's lack of fiscal responsibility in the next election. Pure incompetence! What a bad joke. The unions rule all the City and State governments.
AND... wrote on Apr 23, 2008 7:50 PM:$350,000 to put up another signal and block access to a neighborhood. They could have bought another traffic cop. Oh wait, they can't all fit on the Manchester on-ramp.
Derek wrote on Apr 24, 2008 7:28 AM:Good idea on the lighter ban. People shouldn't be waisting there money on that crap anyway. All you need is a dependable bic, anything more is frivolous, immature spending. Oh, and anyone with children knows that they find everything other than their toys to be the the funnest playthings. It's too bad the public is too dumb to figure these things out on their own, forcing the goverment (smarter individuals) to do something.
Jeff wrote on Apr 25, 2008 7:06 AM:Funniest thing I've read. Forcing the Government (smart individuals)..... The only thing smart the government employees knows how to do is milk the public without having the public care.
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