Many individuals using e-cigarettes have yet to see the danger of the device’s powerful liquid nicotine that is hitting stores nationwide.
Federal authorities do not regulate e-cigarettes and e-liquids, but they are still sold legally nationwide in stores and online. Oftentimes, the fluid sold in small bottles isn’t even mixed on factory floors, but in the back rooms of shops instead.
The liquid stimulant is extracted from tobacco and mixed with colorings, flavorings and assorted chemicals to supply the expanding electronic cigarette industry. These liquids are sold by the vial, gallon and even barrel. Considering their prevalence, the dangers that come with these electronic devices should be carefully considered before someone begins using one.
These neurotoxic chemicals, whether absorbed through the skin or ingested in small amounts, can cause a series of negative reactions such as vomiting, seizures and even death.
The number of cases linked to e-liquids jumped to 1,351 nationwide in 2013, a 300 percent increase from 2012. The number is bound to double this year, according to information from the National Poison Data System. Of 2013’s cases, 365 were referred to hospitals, triple the amount from 2012.
Some people picked up on the usage of e-cigarettes in the past few years in hopes to lower their tobacco intake. I admit, certain individuals should use e-cigarettes as an effective tool for quitting smoking, especially given its standing as the top solution for current addicts.
However, e-cigarettes rely on these e-liquid refills to run, and even tiny amounts of these neurotoxins are deadly. In fact, a teaspoon of a highly diluted amount of the liquid can kill a child if ingested. Many innocent infants obviously unaware of the bottle’s toxic contents have consumed the liquid, leading to disastrous results. This lethal substance is a danger for any parent that smokes e-cigarettes and leaves the refills around the house. No parent should leave their child with something that could potentially take their life.
I have many friends who have picked up on the use of e-cigarettes within the last year. Most of them are social smokers and use them in a party scene when someone passes the electronic cigarette around. When I brought up this topic to many of them, they had no idea that the liquid was posing an increasingly prevalent risk
It’s all too common for users to spill the liquid on their hands when swapping in a refill, causing the neurotoxins to absorb into their skin. Washing immediately after a spill should leave you just fine, but excessive contact could be a problem.
This information needs to be spread, especially as e-cigarettes grow in popularity. While the devices, when used safely, do provide health benefits relative to traditional cigarettes, the scary effects that the raw chemicals have on your body pose a serious problem. Before e-cigarette producers can refine their product, awareness can go a long way in preventing future tragedies.
— Cecilia Brown, second-year print journalism student