ATLANTA, April 3 (UPI) -- Data from poison centers in all 50 states indicates the number of calls involving e-cigarette liquids containing nicotine rose from one per month in September 2010 to 215 per month last February.
A report, published in the Centers for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, said the the analysis found the proportion of e-cigarette calls to poison control centers increased from 0.3 percent in September 2010 to 41.7 percent in February.
Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, said poisoning from conventional cigarettes usually involves young children eating them, but e-cigarette poisoning involves the liquid containing nicotine poisoning by ingestion, inhalation or absorption via the skin or eyes.
"This report raises another red flag about e-cigarettes -- the liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes can be hazardous," Frieden said in a statement. "Use of these products is skyrocketing and these poisonings will continue. 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]
