Concerns over accidental e-liquids exposure

The UK National Health Service’s National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) has said in its annual report that urgent consideration needs to be given to the safe storage and packaging of electronic cigarettes and e-liquids, according to a story by the TMA based on the report.

The NPIS said that during 2014-15 it had received 241 telephone enquiries concerning these products, up 18 percent on the 204 enquiries it had received during 2013-14

Forty percent of the calls during 2014-15 had come from hospitals and 25 percent had concerned incidents involving children under five.

Eighty five percent of the exposures had been accidental.

Fourteen of the 241 enquiries had concerned intentional overdoses, while the remainder had included adverse reactions to intended use, recreational abuse and ‘therapeutic errors’.

Ingestion had been the most common form of exposure, though nine of the 15 enquiries involving eyes had occurred when an e-liquid was mistaken for eye drops.

Of all those exposed, 133 had shown no signs of toxicity, seven had suffered moderate toxicity, and one severe toxicity.

The report said it was of concern that the majority of exposures had been accidental.

Monitoring inquiries about exposures to electronic cigs and their refills was important given their increasing use, it said.

Read more here.