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Cigarette Lighters

CPSC Recall #97148 — June 25, 1997

Recall Summary

Recall Number97148
Recall DateJune 25, 1997
Remedy Type—
Units AffectedAbout 845,000

Where It Was Sold

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.

Product

Cigarette Lighters

Description

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 RecalledDB 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 RecalledKassir 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

Incidents & Injuries

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

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a remedy at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (refund, replacement, or repair) at no cost to you.

Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.

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