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TRADITIONAL cigarettes could be banned in Scotland within three years in favour of new "fire-safe" alternatives.

Lothians-based Labour Euro-MP David Martin said the European Commission was drawing up legislation to introduce the new cigarettes by 2009/10 in a bid to cut the number of deaths in fires.

Thirty of the 76 fatal house fires in Scotland in 2004 were sparked by cigarettes or other tobacco products.

The "fire-safe" cigarettes go out within two minutes if they are not being puffed.

Mr Martin said the new cigarettes could cost 2p or 3p more for a packet of 20 than those currently available.

But he said: "This is a small price to pay for saving so many lives and preventing such damage."

New York State was the first place to legislate to introduce fire-safe cigarettes. Since then, Canada and six other US states have followed suit.

Mr Martin said: "I am pleased to announce that a campaign, which I have supported for over 20 years has at last been successful in Brussels.

"The European Commission's Product Safety Committee will meet this month to discuss proposals for legislation."

Last month Stewart Maxwell, the SNP MSP who first proposed Scotland's smoking ban, called for a new law requiring cigarettes to be fire-safe.