Smoking

Advice for staying safe when smoking:

• Make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished
• Take extra care when you’re tired, taking any kind of drugs or if you have been drinking alcohol. It’s very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning
• Never smoke in bed - you could doze off and set your bed on fire
• Never leave lit cigarettes unattended - they can easily overbalance as they burn down
• Use a proper, heavy ashtray that can’t tip over easily and is made of a material that won’t burn
• Tap your ash into an ashtray, never a wastebasket containing other rubbish, and don’t let the ash or cigarette ends build up
• Use child safe matches or cigarette lighters and keep them safely out of the reach of children
• Fit and maintain a smoke alarm - a working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and call 999

Vapes/E-Cigarettes: know the fire risks

Vapes may cost less than cigarettes but they're still a fire risk, and they still contain nicotine, which is highly addictive.

E-cigarettes or vapes need to be used safely and can't be sold to people under 18 years old.

• Never leave e-cigarettes on charge unattended for long periods
• Do not mix components of different e-cigarettes
• Only use the charger supplied
• Make sure you purchase your e-cigarette from a reputable source
• Check the e-cigarette carries CE certification
• Test your smoke alarm regularly
• Contact Trading Standards over any e-cigarette safety concerns

How to dispose of your vape or e-cigarette

Before you dispose of your vape, please make sure it’s finished. You can then dispose of it in one of the following locations:

• If you can remove the battery easily, take it out and dispose of the battery at your council’s local reuse and recycling centre or your local supermarket.
• If you can’t remove the battery easily, you can take the vape to the small electrical items area in your council’s local reuse and recycling centre, or your local vape shop might have a collection bin.