CPSC, Importers Announce Recall of Cigarette Lighters

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), five importers are recalling about 845,000 novelty and disposable cigarette lighters. The lighters either do not have child-resistant mechanisms to prevent young children from igniting the lighters or they have defective child-resistant mechanisms in violation of the Consumer Product Safety Act.

CPSC is not aware of any injuries or incidents involving these lighters. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.

Disposable Lighters Recalled

DB Marketing Group Inc. of El Monte, Calif., is recalling about 790,000 disposable cigarette lighters. The lighters are marked "EASYLIGHT...CHINA" and have a transparent fuel container in a variety of colors.

Small retail stores in the Los Angeles area sold the DB Marketing Group lighters from September 1996 through March 1997 for about 25 to 35 cents.

Tabco International Inc. of Chicago, Ill., is recalling about 12,000 disposable cigarette lighters. The lighters are marked "China" and have labels resembling a $100 bill and beer vendor designs, or are without labels and have a transparent fuel container in a variety of colors.

Neighborhood discount stores, gas stations and flea markets in California, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin sold the Tabco International lighters from February 1996 through June 1996 for about $1.

Novelty Lighters Recalled

Kassir Co. of Los Angeles, Calif., is recalling about 27,000 refillable novelty cigarette lighters. The metal lighters are silver, copper or gold. Most styles resemble revolvers, antique pistols, motorcycles and dragons. Other styles have relief figures of a horse and rider, and the word "Marlboro" on the casing.

Small retail stores in California, Washington, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Arizona, and Montana sold the Kassir lighters from September 1994 through December 1996 for about $5 to $7.

Hangmei International Corp. of City of Industry, Calif., is recalling about 14,000 refillable novelty cigarette lighters. Styles include a pearl-handled antique brass derringer pistol, black handled snub-nosed pistol, antique brass figures of a seahorse and dragon, and a yellow soccer ball on a soccer boot.

Small retail stores in southern California sold the Hangmei lighters from June 1996 through January 1997 for about $5 to $10.

Chicago Import Co. of Chicago, Ill., is recalling about 2,000 refillable novelty cigarette lighters. Styles include a snub-nosed revolver with a gunmetal-blue frame marked "T-J-C," snub-nosed revolver with copper frame marked "88", snub-nosed revolver with copper frame and no markings, and snub-nosed automatic pistol with a copper frame marked with a crescent moon and star and "HEOLLO-888."

Neighborhood discount stores, gas stations and restaurants sold the Chicago Import Co. lighters nationwide from August 1996 through February 1997 for about $1.

Consumers should stop using the recalled novelty and disposable cigarette lighters immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund. For more information about this recall, consumers should call the lighter importers at the numbers listed below or call CPSC's toll-free hotline at 800-638-2772.

- DB Marketing Group Inc. at (818) 279-1080 (All lighters were sold in Los Angeles.)

- Tabco International Inc. at (800) 544-7882

- Kassir Co. at (888) 995-9935

- Hangmei International Corp. at (888) 898-3111

- Chicago Import Co. at (800) 656-0000

CPSC is not aware of any injuries or incidents involving these lighters. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.