The tobacco industry managed to shift blame of people falling asleep with lit cigarettes away from their products onto beds and sofas being too flammable getting the government to force flame retardants into all sorts of home products that now are linked to cancer etc.

Tobacco industry linked to proliferation of flame retardants in American homes

According to the Chicago Tribune, Big Tobacco is behind the proliferation of flame retardants packed into household products.

Flame retardants are a family of synthetic chemicals designed to help petroleum-based materials resist catching fire. Today, flame retardants are so ubiquitous they can be found in products ranging from textiles and upholstery, to strollers and traces were even discovered recently in some peanut butters.

According to the Tribune, having common household products loaded with flame retardants is a problem because increasing evidence has linked these chemicals to an array of damaging health effects including cancer, neurological defects and impaired fertility.

So what do tobacco lobbyists have to do with the… Continue Reading (4 minute read)