Kentucky ? Traditional cigarettes essentially will be banned from this tobacco-producing state under a new law limiting sales to so-called fire-safe versions.

Kentucky is joining seven other states that require the special smokes in an effort to prevent fires ignited by cigarettes, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

“Kentucky, with its rich tobacco history, makes a statement that this is very much a public safety initiative,” said Lorraine Carli, a spokeswoman for the group.

The law requires cigarettes that are wrapped in thin bands of slow-burning paper and go out when the burning tobacco is no longer being puffed.

The measure was propelled by a Feb. 6 house fire that killed 10 people in Bardstown, southeast of Louisville. Investigators suspect the blaze was started by a smoldering cigarette dropped into a chair after one of the victims had fallen asleep.

Nationally, 700 to 900 people die each year from fires caused by smoking materials such as cigarettes, according to the fire protection association.