22,000 BIC Lighters Confiscated By TSA EVERY DAY

[matcom]

This lighter ban thing is stupid on SO MANY levels. So, they are lifting the ban on carrying lighters on planes.

Stats according to NBC:

22,000 confiscated every day across the country.
Cost of disposing of the lighters: $4 MILLION

Now, as a smoker it's been kind of funny when we fly. You get off the plane and step outside and there are a dozen people looking for a match.

You would think that the gov't would simply confiscate all lighters, place a bin outside of ever airport in a designated smoking section and fill it with lighters. That way, smokers can have access to a lighter when they get off the plane at their destination. Oh and it would have saved $4 MILLION DOLLARS of OUR money.

:eyes:

[Zywiec]

1. I wish I would have bought stock in Bic lighters. n/t

[Jed Dilligan]

21. Victorinox stock has soared

under the new regs.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Way back when they first started this stupid confiscation

The smokers at our airport left their lighters by the ash tray in the smoking area outside the terminal. Like a community gathering place for lighters. Then they were gone. I asked the security guy at the airport where the lighters were. He said it was considered a security risk to leave all the lighters there.

So are we now to fear lighter bombs?

[matcom]

4. unreal

common sense has completely left the building.

[liberati]

3. OMG, that would make too much sense! NT

:crazy:

[matcom]

5. welcome to DU!

:hi:

most things make 'too much sense' to our government

[RandiFan1290]

6. The ban will be lifted Aug. 4

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19864658



Another glorious victory over the forces of terror!!1
;)

[matcom]

7. and we are flying August 2nd

because August 2nd lighters will still be a THREAT but 2 days later they won't :eyes:

[zippy890]

8. its so stupid because you can get through security

and with packs of matches in your pockets.

This really is such a dumb and wasteful regulation about the lighters- whats the point of it? to make people FEEL safer?

Besides I've walked through the metal detectors at several different airports with BIC lighters in my pocket - just to see if they get detected- and the results? 7 out of the last 8 times the lighters did not set off the detector.

stupid stupid stupid rule, and reading your post about the cost of disposing of the lighters makes it even more ridiculous.

[Canuckistanian]

18. Yeah, matches were never banned

I think it was a concession to tobacco companies to let people light up as soon as they landed.

[tanyev]

9. Thank GOD they are still confiscating sealed, bottled water.

Don't you just hate it when your bottled water explodes?

[SutaUvaca]

10. Bic lighter sales rise by 8 million units per year.

Halliburton lighter disposal subsidiary's stock soars.

[madokie]

11. lots of gas in them lighters, lots of oil products actually in the lighter, case and all

just throwing the stuff away

[Skidmore]

15. They're probably stockpiling them in case we need a

quick source of butane if the oil supply gets cut off. :sarcasm:


Stupid assholes.

[MindPilot]

16. They are probably all in one place in one landfill

where they will eventually morph into a giant butane lighter blob becoming yet another toxic mess created by our stupid war on "terror".

[Toasterlad]

12. OMG. That Was Brilliant!

I can't believe no one thought of that; it was so obvious! When I smoked, it drove me crazy coming off a flight.

[rucky]

13. But that would be Communism.

You should only be able to light up on a confiscated lighter if you got one confiscated yourself. Maybe they can hand out punch cards at the TSA station. Nobody lights for free.

[Rosemary2205]

14. Some people (you) are just smarter than others.

:)

[eppur_se_muova]

17. That blows my plans for a vending machine in luggage pickup -- lighters $5, matches $1

[JVS]

19. They should just give them to people getting off of other flights!

[matcom]

20. why not?

outside every airport there is a smoking section. no smokers have walked off a plane with a lighter. make all lighters communal outside airports and you get off the plane, pick up a confiscated lighter and everyone is happy and in business

[Disturbed]

22. These idiots love to waste money.

All the stuff they confiscate could be resold but no they waste even more money by trashing them. Freakin' jerk-offs!!!

[GaYellaDawgDem]

23. In my experience...

they're pocketing the lighters...I travel weekly and in most places folks leave their abandoned lighters on top of trash bins and such for other travelers. I've seen airport and TSA employees pocket several on their way back in from their smoke break. I just don't believe they are going back in to "properly dispose" of those dangerous Bics.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

24. That money could have went a long way toward a good cause

But that would have been smart.

As far as I know this will no longer be enfoced with regular Bic and Zippo style lighters beginning in early August of this year.