Sharp Rise in Child Exposure to E-Cigarettes Prompts Urgent Medical Warning

The Poison Information Centre in Western Australia has recorded a sharp increase in phone consultations regarding e-cigarettes and e-liquids: from 14 calls in 2019 to 78 this year.

According to a recent report by 9news, more infants are being exposed to potentially lethal e-cigarettes, prompting doctors to issue warnings. The Poison Information Centre in Western Australia has recorded a sharp increase in phone consultations regarding e-cigarettes and e-liquids: from 14 calls in 2019 to 78 this year.

The public is drawn to colorful and fragrant disposable e-cigarettes. Over the past five years, the demand center has seen a 550% increase in calls for help regarding e-cigarettes, and their use has become increasingly common. Last year, five of these incidents involved infants under 12 months old.

Emergency physician and clinical toxicologist Kerry Hoggett warned that even small amounts of e-cigarette e-liquid can be fatal to young children. "There have indeed been cases of infants dying from exposure to nicotine-containing e-liquids, although the numbers are low," Hoggett said.

Doctors hope that parents will be more careful about where they place their e-cigarettes, advising against leaving them casually around the house during or after use, and recommending that e-liquids be locked away or placed out of reach of children. They noted that common sense is often overlooked, and many underestimate the risks of e-cigarettes.

"Some flavorings are known to cause permanent damage to the lungs," Hoggett said.