How to prevent children from accidental e-liquid exposures

July 5, 2023

Article

To combat instances of e-liquid exposure and accidental ingestions among children, the FDA is offering tips for best storage and safety practices for those that regularly use and handle these products, according to a recent press release.

How to prevent children from accidental e-liquid exposures | Image Credit: © neillockhart - © neillockhart - stock.adobe.com.

Liquids containing nicotine in electronic cigarettes or “vapes” could result in injury or death if a child gets ahold of them and ingests them, prompting the FDA to release tips to prevent these instances.¹

Coma, respiratory arrest, seizure, and death can occur in children who drink e-liquids. Exposure can also take place through skin contact, according to the FDA. The agency stated in a press release that there were 7043 reports of e-cigarette or e-liquid exposures in children from April 2022 to March 2023. Of those, approximately 88% of happened in children younger than 5 years.¹

Health care professions can inform parents who vape of the following tips and remind them to properly store e-liquids (safe, elevated location, out of the view of children) of any kind, and after every use.¹

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released information from a study stating monthly e-cigarette unit sales increased by 46.6% from January of 2020 (15.5 million units) to December of 2022 (22.7 million units).²

With an increased prevalence of e-cigarettes, parents should save the Poison Control HELP telephone number (1-800-222-1222) and be prepared to contact Poison Control if an accidental ingestion occurs.¹

To help limit children’s exposure to e-liquids, proper handling should be a staple. Here are FDA-recommended tips for proper e-liquid storage:¹

Keep e-liquids in their original containers. According to the FDA, “this will help children know to avoid these products.”
Make sure all product caps are locked while not in use, and twist tunable caps until they won’t twist anymore, ensuring the container is locked.
Avoid contact on the skin or in eyes, which can cause irritation and burning. If an accidental spill occurs, wash the area of skin in contact with the e-liquid with soap and water. If an accidental exposure gets in the eyes, rinse them thoroughly with water. If there are changes in vision, seek medical attention.
If an accidental splash or spill occurs, be sure to clean using soap and water.
Call the poison Control number listed above if a child drinks e-liquids, or if you suspect that a child may have ingested e-liquids. Liquid nicotine can be poisonous.

References:

How to properly store e-liquids and prevent accidental exposure of e-liquids to children. FDA. June 22, 2023. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/how-properly-store-e-liquids-and-prevent-accidental-exposure-e-liquids-children
U.S. E-cigarette sales climbed during 2020-2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. June 22, 2023. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/p0622-ecigarettes-sales.html