Cigarettes have become an integral part of ordinary people's lives. Some started smoking due to fashion, others due to company, but they are all united by one thing: the risk of a fire in a smoker's home is 10 times higher than in a non-smoker's home.

According to statistics, every second fire is caused by careless smoking. Nicotine-dependent individuals are aware that they are harming their health, but they do not always realize that a huge disaster can result from one small, unextinguished cigarette butt. When throwing a cigarette butt out of the window, people often forget about the floors below, where a window or balcony might be open at that moment, thus turning their already expensive habit into a fire that can claim lives.

As a rule, the uncontrolled desire to smoke arises in a person who is intoxicated. Yielding to temptation, after each puff, the smoker's body relaxes as the brain receives its small micro-dose of dopamine, and the person falls asleep peacefully with "unfinished business." The energy of an unextinguished cigarette is enough to start a fire within minutes. A person cannot smell smoke while asleep, and as a result, may simply be poisoned by combustion products.

To protect yourself and your loved ones, it is worth adhering to a couple of simple rules:

- Smoke in designated areas;

- Use an ashtray;

- Thoroughly extinguish cigarettes;

- Do not throw cigarettes out of windows;

- Never smoke in bed or in an armchair;

- Install a standalone smoke detector at home;

- It is dangerous to smoke near flammable liquids.

And remember, a fire is not like the Ministry of Health; it will not warn you!