Children Safety: E-Cigarettes Might Be More Dangerous Than Regular Cigarettes

With the sudden rise in the popularity of electronic cigarettes or E-cigarettes, many teens and adult are inclined to buy the product and use it for themselves as substitute to regular cigarettes. But a new study suggests that e-cigarettes are associated with the increase rates of children being poisoned with liquid nicotine.

According to the study published in the journal Pediatrics, the number of children exposed to e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine are increasing rapidly, with several cases of severe outcomes being reported.

For the study, researchers analyzed calls to poison centers regarding nicotine and tobacco product exposures among children younger than 6 years. The National Poison Data System recorded a total of 29, 141 calls for pediatric exposures to nicotine and tobacco products from January 2012 to April 2015, averaging 729 child exposures per month.

Researchers found out that 14.2 percent of the calls were due to e-cigarette exposures. The monthly exposures linked to e-cigarettes have experienced 1492.9 percent monthly increase during the course of the study. Children exposed to e-cigarettes are 5.2 times more likely to be admitted in health care facilities, compared to children exposed to cigarettes. Pediatric exposure to e-cigarette also has 2.6 times higher odds of having severe outcome, including comas and seizures. One death was associated with liquid nicotine exposure.

According to the report from Washington Post, children are attracted to the colorful packaging and flavor of the liquid nicotine.

With the alarming increase of pediatric exposure to e-cigarette, researchers recommend preventive strategies such as public education; appropriate product storage and use away from children; warning labels; and modifications of e-cigarette devices, e-liquid, and e-liquid containers and packaging to make them less appealing and less accessible to children.

They are also urging government officials to develop a better strategy in regulating e-cigarette products to prevent child poisoning.

It is also noted that it is the responsibility of adult users to keep their e-cigarettes and all of its accessories to high places, or better yet, on a locked cabinet or case.