Reuters reports the FDA has “warned of potential safety risks from the use of e-cigarettes after it found certain users had suffered from seizures.” The agency “said it had observed a slight increase in the reports of seizures since last June and has identified 35 cases of seizures following use of e-cigarettes between 2010 and early 2019” in mostly young adult users. However, the FDA “said it could not yet say for certain that e-cigarettes had caused the seizures and the cases warrant an investigation into whether there is in fact a connection.”
The AP reports, “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.” STAT (4/3, Thielking, 18K) says that the agency “has not been able to establish a clear pattern among the reported cases,” observing that some seizures were frequent vape users, while others were “first-time vapers.”
CNN reports that Principal Deputy Commissioner Dr. Amy Abernethy and FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in the statement, “We know that nicotine isn’t a harmless substance, especially in the developing brains of our youth. … But we’ve also been clear that, even for adults, e-cigarettes are not risk free.” The agency didn’t mention specific brands, though it “urged people to report any issues through its Safety Reporting Portal with information such as the brand they were using.”
TIME writes that it isn’t clear how the products could cause seizures, but “it’s possible that nicotine poisoning is a factor, the statement says.” TIME notes that liquid nicotine “can be toxic when swallowed or absorbed through the skin, according to the National Capital Poison Center and the American Academy of Pediatrics, potentially resulting in seizures or death.”
The Hill notes that seizures and convulsions “are known potential side effects of nicotine toxicity.” E-liquids “have varying levels of nicotine concentrations, and the FDA said some e-cigarette design features may allow a user to obtain high levels of nicotine quickly.” Additionally, “a few reported cases indicated seizures in association with the use of other substances such as marijuana or amphetamines, the agency said.”
The Washington Examiner reports that Gottlieb has “ramped up scrutiny of e-cigarette manufacturers and their marketing strategies,” mandating “that certain flavored nicotine pods and e-liquids be removed from shelves, as they appeal to kids.”
Also covering the story are Vox, CHEST Physician, Medscape, and MedPage Today.
From the news release of the American Association for Justice.
