The dangers of using tobacco products have been known for a long time. With this in mind, many people have turned to electronic cigarettes in recent years under the assumption that they are “safer.” Although people might be trying to make a smarter decision by removing themselves and their children from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke, a recent string of child injuries related to e-cigarettes may cause people to think twice.
Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have noted massive growth in the number of toxic exposure incidents related to e-cigarettes. Less than four years ago, the agency was receiving only call per month related to this problem. Earlier this year, however, they were being notified of at least 215 toxic exposure incidents every month.
Electronic cigarettes provide users with nicotine, but it is not supplied directly from tobacco. Rather, e-cigs use a liquid form of nicotine, which is turned into an inhalable vapor. If the liquid substance is improperly consumed, it can be poisonous.
The CDC's report showed that young people are most susceptible to e-cigarette poisoning. Shockingly, children 5 years old or younger accounted for more than 51 percent of toxic exposure victims. Additionally, 42 percent of e-cigarette toxicity reports involve people 20 or younger. In other words, this is a problem that disproportionately hurts young people.
Given how quickly e-cigarettes have risen in popularity, it will be important for manufacturers to clearly label their products as toxic, especially for parents and their children. Parents should be made aware of how dangerous liquid nicotine can be. At this time, the Food and Drug Administration has yet to establish rules for the way the way e-cigarette products are marketed and labeled.