A ban on cigarette lighters that look like realistic guns will go into effect in January in the city of Dayton.
Dayton city commissioners voted Sept. 23, 2026, to outlaw the sale and public display of novelty gun lighters.
The city’s ordinance is based on a similar law in Cleveland.
Dayton Mayor Shenise Turner-Sloss said the ban is a common-sense step to reduce confusion and prevent tragedies.
"I actually witnessed it and saw it from my own eyes the damage the novelty lighters that they could potentially have on our community," Turner-Sloss said. "And to see them within reach and display cases is very alarming and concerning."
Gun-shaped novelty lighters are frequently sold in convenience stores, gas stations and other businesses. The items serve no function that cannot be served by a conventional lighter, the ordinance says, but can be mistaken for actual weapons.
The ordinance points to the killing of John Crawford III, who was shot by a Beavercreek police officer within seconds while holding a toy BB gun for sale in that Walmart.
The Dayton mayor said neighbors and activists, including the group Racial Justice Now, brought their concerns about the realistic looking novelty lighters to the city.