One aspect of the vapor industry that's coming under increased scrutiny is the harm that underaged children can be face by accidental exposure to e-liquid. The Food and Drug Administration has recently taken multiple actions to address these concerns, including a statement on their website aimed at vapers with children.

In their guidance letter, the FDA goes through a step-by-step process of how to mitigate the access that children would have to e-liquid. In this article, we’ll look at several suggestions on how to best keep e-liquid and vapor products safely out of the reach of small children.

The notice is part of a larger move by the government agency to prevent vapor use by children, with the statement being issued concurrently with 13 warning letters to vapor manufacturers and retailers about products looking similar to candies, toys, or juice boxes.

Here at Breazy, as is the case with many responsible vapor businesses, we have been vocal in our support for more education about steps to be taken by the government, retailers, and vapers to curtail use of vapor products by anyone under the legal age in their jurisdiction. Various preventative and fair regulations can be implemented to make vapor products safer for everyone around us.

FDA Statement

 

The main problem addressed by the FDA was children exposed to nicotine and e-liquid under the age of six, which they said can be dangerous “if they touch or drink it.” Between the years of 2012 and 2017, the National Poison Data System identified over 8,000 cases of children exposed to liquid nicotine, mostly due to children drinking e-liquid.

This led to a sobering warning from the FDA, who says that young children could  be “severely hurt by drinking (also called “ingesting”) e-liquids, and said that “harmful effects can include seizure, coma, respiratory arrest, or even death from cardiac arrest.

The agency also made suggestions on how to better store your e-liquid. Here’s a rundown of their list of ways to safely make sure that e-liquid is safe for you and safely away from children:  

“ALWAYS store e-liquids in their original containers, so others know exactly what they are. This will help children know to avoid these products.

“ALWAYS make sure product caps are locked when you’re not using them, and relock caps when you’re finished. If a bottle has a cap that turns, twist it until you cannot twist anymore.

“ALWAYS avoid contact with your skin and eyes when you use these products. E-liquid exposure can cause burning and irritation, among other problems. In case of accidental contact with skin or eyes, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.

“ALWAYS clean up any spills or splashes immediately using soap and water.

“NEVER drink e-liquid, or allow anyone to drink it, because the liquid nicotine can be poisonous. If a child accidentally drinks e-liquid, immediately call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Also call this number if you think your child has been exposed to these products—even if you’re not completely sure.”

Responsible Vapers

Part of being a vaper is being safe with your vapor equipment and products. This means keeping e-liquid and other harmful material out of potentially dangerous situations for children who can be severely harmed if they’re exposed to it.

Especially if you have kids, remaining alert and aware of where vapor products are kept and how they’re disposed of should be a big priority of any serious vaper. As the FDA points out, if there is an accident and a child is accidentally exposed to e-liquid make sure to act fast and responsibly alert poison control - the better move is probably never to put yourself or your family in this situation in the first place.