Even small amounts of the chemical can cause serious illness, professor says
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes has led to a number of cases of nicotine poisoning in recent years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hopes to require warning labels and child-resistant packaging on liquid nicotine products, such as those used in e-cigarettes. Even a small amount of liquid nicotine can be lethal, Jonathan Foulds, Ph.D., a professor of public health sciences at the Penn State College of Medicine in University Park, said in a university news release.
The proposed FDA measures would help, but it’s important for adults to consistently use the provided childproofing features and to keep all sources of nicotine out of children’s reach, said Foulds. “Simply put, nicotine is a poison and consumers need to take responsibility for keeping it away from children, whether it is in a childproof container or not,” he said.
A nicotine overdose can cause anxiety, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, loss of consciousness, or even death. All nicotine-containing products — including cigarettes, liquid nicotine, and nicotine-replacement lozenges — can be harmful to children and should come in childproof containers, Foulds explained. “There are hundreds of cases of poisoning from cigarettes every year, and so all nicotine products, including cigarettes, should be in childproof packages,” he said.
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