High tech alternatives to traditional cigarettes are often marketed as a “safer” way to consume nicotine.
Electronic cigarettes — or e-cigarettes — have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among young people. According to a surgeon general’s report, e-cigarette use among U.S. high school students increased by a staggering 900 percent between 2011 and 2015.
As reported by NBC News, these high tech alternatives to traditional cigarettes are often marketed as a “safer” way to consume nicotine.
However, health experts explain that e-cigarettes still contain unhealthy doses of nicotine, even if they don’t deliver the same amounts of tar and carbon monoxide as regular cigarettes. E-cigarettes don’t burn tobacco; instead, a battery inside the e-cigarette heats the liquid into a vapor, which is why many users refer to the practice of using an e-cigarette as “vaping.”
Exploding E-Cigarettes Have Caused Serious Injuries
E-cigarettes have also been involved in a startling number of serious accidents, in which they have have literally exploded during use.
In a recent case, a 30-year-old man experienced horrific burns and other injuries when an e-cigarette exploded in his mouth. The father of three lost seven teeth in the accident and had to be rushed to the intensive care unit to be treated for his injuries. The explosion was so powerful, it also blasted chunks out of the victim’s bathroom sink. (Warning: the photos of the injury in the linked story are graphic.)
FDA to Host Public Workshop to Discuss E-Cigarettes
Although the FDA has not banned e-cigarettes, many safety experts and lawmakers have pressured the agency to take action to reduce the risks posed by the devices. In 2016, the FDA announced it would begin regulating e-cigarettes the same way it regulates traditional cigarettes.
Recently, the FDA announced it will also conduct a workshop in April 2017 to “gather information and stimulate discussion” about e-cigarettes.
The FDA has identified the battery as the reason for the explosion in 134 documented cases of e-cigarette injuries occurring between 2009 and 2016. Safety experts say there are likely many more unreported cases of the batteries in e-cigarettes causing injuries.
The two-day workshop, which is open to the public, will also host scientific and medical experts, as well as e-cigarette manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
NYC Defective Products Lawyer Discusses Dangers of Exploding Batteries
New York City defective products lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter explains, “Although it’s unclear what, if anything, the FDA will do to reduce or eliminate the risk of injury associated with e-cigarettes and e-cigarette batteries, this is not the first time a battery has caused serious injuries. For example, lithium ion batteries in cell phones and other devices have caused burns and other injuries in consumers. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, the FAA actually banned the devices from U.S. commercial flights due to the high risk of the battery inside the phone melting or exploding.”
Media Contact:
New York City defective products lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter. T: 212-736-0979.
