Every year there are thousands of fires, caused by cigarettes left smouldering or thrown away without being extinguished, often causing fatalities. Yet it is now technologically possible to make cigarettes that put themselves out if they are left smouldering - a self-extinguishing cigarette! A law to make this compulsory in Britain would be quite useful, but its effect would be lessened by the fact that many cigarettes are brought in from abroad, notably from other European countries. So a Europe-wide law to this effect would be highly beneficial, wouldn't it?

Well, yes, and indeed, one is being considered. Yet has this received any media coverage whatsoever? All I have seen so far is one solitary article in the Independent on Sunday. The rest of the media have obviously chosen not to associate a good news story with Europe.