Smoking, cannabis and fire safety social media toolkit

Last updated on February 20, 2024

Smoking and smoking materials is one of the top causes of residential fires in B.C., but they are preventable.

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Social media toolkit

How to use this toolkit

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Messages to share

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If you smoke – be it cannabis or tobacco – do so outside and only where it is permitted, and encourage friends or family who smoke to do the same.
If you do smoke inside, use large, deep ashtrays. Be cautious when smoking on sofas and couches – a burning cigarette can smolder between the cushions of upholstered furniture and go unnoticed for hours.
Whether it is cannabis or tobacco, properly extinguish and dispose of all smoking materials in large, deep ashtrays. Do not discard of any smoking materials in garbage cans or vegetation such as mulch, planter boxes, potted plants or landscaping, peat moss, dried grasses, leaves or other things that could ignite easily.
Don’t smoke in bed, or when you are drowsy or impaired by alcohol, cannabis, other drugs or certain medications.

Hashtags

#SmokingFireSafety #FirePrevention #SmokeOutside #AllTheWayOut

Graphics

Image of someone putting out a cigarette in an ashtray. A green check mark indicates that this is the correct thing to do. A red check mark pointing to a shrub indicates that this is not where you should dispose of cigarettes.

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Image reads "avoid smoking if you have consumed alcohol or medications, so that you do not fall asleep while smoking". An image depicts a bottle and glass of beer, a bottle and glasses of wine and a prescription pill bottle. There is a cigarette in an ashtray with an X through it.

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Cannabis oil extraction – may be illegal and dangerous

Extracting cannabis oil with organic solvents, including petroleum naphtha and compressed liquid hydrocarbons such as butane, isobutane, propane and propylene, is not only illegal under the federal Cannabis Act, but also extremely hazardous. It can result in the uncontrolled release of flammable vapours. If ignited, these vapours lead to explosions and fires that can cause serious injury or death.

Hazardous extraction in basements is particularly dangerous because flammable vapours can accumulate in higher concentrations leading to even more powerful explosions.

Visit the Get Cannabis Clarity website to find information on the laws and regulations that will keep the people and communities safe.

Additional resources

The outreach materials from the US Fire Administration contains free resources to teach smokers about the importance of fire safety.

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The B.C. Public Service acknowledges the territories of First Nations around B.C. and is grateful to carry out our work on these lands. We acknowledge the rights, interests, priorities, and concerns of all Indigenous Peoples - First Nations, Métis, and Inuit - respecting and acknowledging their distinct cultures, histories, rights, laws, and governments.