The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it has reviewed 35 reports of
seizures among Electronic Cigarette users, mainly in young people. Regulators stressed it's not yet clear whether vaping is responsible. But they said they're concerned and
encouraged the public to report information about the issue.
These cases warrant "investigation into whether there is in fact a connection," FDA
Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement. Gottlieb is stepping down on
Friday after nearly two years heading the agency.
Cases go back to 2010 and were reported to the FDA or poison control centers around the country.
Regulators said they detected an uptick in reports beginning mid-2018. While
they represent a tiny fraction of Americans who have used e-cigarettes, many
safety issues with foods, supplements and other consumer products can go
unrecognized because reporting is voluntary.
Most e-cigarettes heat a flavored nicotine solution into an inhalable vapor. The battery-powered devices
have grown into a multibillion-dollar industry though there are few standards,
including how much nicotine they deliver. Additionally, many refillable
e-cigarettes can be used with nicotine formulas of varying
strength.
Nicotine poisoning can cause seizures, convulsions, vomiting and brain injury. The FDA has previously warned of potentially fatal nicotine
poisoning in infants and children who accidentally swallowed nicotine
solutions.
Seizures usually last a few seconds or minutes and rarely cause permanent injury. But they can be a sign of underlying neurological
disorders that need medical attention.
The agency said the handful of seizure reports often lack information about the brand of e-cigarette or whether
users had a medical condition that might have contributed. In some cases,
e-cigarettes were being used with drugs like marijuana and amphetamines. Some
seizures were reported after just a few puffs of the device, others after a day
of use.
The FDA is asking consumers to report problems to an online site. The agency is seeking details about vaping brands and models and whether users
who have experienced problems were also taking medications, supplements or other
drugs.
It's not the first time the FDA has flagged a potential health hazard with vaping devices — the agency has warned of rare burns and explosions
related to overheating of batteries that power the devices.
The latest concern comes amid a nationwide push to fight underage use of e-cigarettes,
which have surged in popularity among high school and middle school students.
Last month the FDA outlined new restrictions on retail and online sales of most
flavored e-cigarettes. Meanwhile, local and state officials are considering age
restrictions, taxes and flavor bans to keep the products away from
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