ENCINITAS — City Council unanimously passed a ban on the sale of lighters that resemble toys April 23. Many of the so-called novelty lighters feature designs that are attractive to children.

James Floros, executive director of the Burn Institute, urged the council to support the ban. He showed pictures of the questionable lighters that included model cars, trains, pigs and footballs. City Fire Marshall Bob Scott showed the council actual lighters he purchased from stores in Encinitas that day. “Children are drawn to these lighters, they really think they are toys,” Floros said.

In the past 12 years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled thousands of novelty lighters under the Child Safety Protection Act. However, there is no federal legislation banning the sale of such items.

Floros said that by approving the ban on the sale of the novelty lighters, the city would join a national and international movement to eradicate the products. Other cities in San Diego County, including Vista, have adopted similar bans.

Deputy Mayor Maggie Houlihan said she agreed with the ban wholeheartedly. “It was purely a public safety decision,” she said. “What convinced me was when our fire chief purchased a dolphin and a cow in the toy section of a store in Encinitas that were really lighters.” Scott said even the owner of the store did not realize the lighters were not toys for children.

The ban goes into effect 30 days from its passage. Violations of the ordinance will be considered an infraction. Under the new code, merchants selling the novelty lighters can be fined $100 for the first infraction and $200 for the second infraction within one year. Each additional violation within the same year can incur a $500 fine each.