Letter: Poison Control Center calls rise with E-cig popularity

I wanted to make all caretakers, as well as e-cigarette businesses and users, aware of a newsletter recently sent from the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding e-cigarette poisoning in children. The recent years’ boom of e-cigarette use has resulted in children of all ages having access to a new novel item, with phone calls to poison centers skyrocketing.

The number of e-cigarette exposure calls rose from one per month in September 2010 to 215 per month in February 2014. Calls involving conventional cigarettes did not show a similar increase during that period. Poisoning from conventional cigarettes is generally a result of young children eating them, but poisonings from e-cigarettes are due to the liquid containing nicotine used in the devices being ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin or eyes.

“E-cigarette liquids as currently sold are a threat to small children because they are not required to be childproof, and they come in candy and fruit flavors that are appealing to children,’ CDC director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., said in a press release.

The study authors call on health care providers and others to be aware that “e-cigarettes have the potential to cause acute adverse health effects and represent an emerging public health concern.

From “Notes from the Field: Calls to Poison Centers for Exposures to Electronic Cigarettes — United States, September 2010–February 2014” in the April 4 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report at http://1.usa.gov/1gShGar.

Everyone should be diligent in preventing children from accessing e-cigarettes accidentally or intentionally. Remember that even if e-cigarettes avoid smoke exposure in those already hooked, following the Precautionary Principle (primary prevention) keeps children safe and avoids them acquiring a new nicotine habit or addiction to pay for or break in the future.