E-cigarettes recalled, e-liquids subject of warning

The South Korean government has ordered a recall of some electronic cigarettes and issued a warning over others, according to a Yonhap News Agency story.

It ordered the recall of 10 electronic cigarettes over concerns expressed by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy that their power cord plugs could cause fires or electric shocks if they were exposed to an alternating current of more than 3,000 volts.

The 10 products in question were said to have been manufactured in China.

At the same time, the government has warned of the dangers posed by some e-liquid containers.

In a joint study with the Korea Consumer Agency, the government had apparently found that four e-liquids out of 25 reviewed contained at least 11 percent more nicotine than they were supposed to contain.

The Yonhap report said this meant that those who used them might ‘unknowingly intake more nicotine than they wish to or can’.

The study found also that most e-liquid containers lacked warnings, while 15 of them did not have childproof bottle caps.

The government said it would move to require the use of childproof bottle caps on all products, and intensify its management of products ‘containing nicotine and other harmful substances’.