E-Cigarette Injury Reports on the Rise

The number of injury complaints associated with the use of e-cigarettes has risen in the past year, Reuters reports. E-cigarette users have filed complaints with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about injuries including burns, nicotine toxicity, heart problems and breathing difficulties.

More than 50 complaints about e-cigarettes were filed between March 2013 and March 2014, Reuters found. That is similar to the combined number of complaints filed during the previous five years. The article notes the health problems reported were not necessarily caused by e-cigarettes. Problems reported in the last year also included headache, cough, dizziness, nose bleeds, chest pain, allergic reactions and sore throat.

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report that found poison control centers are reporting an increase in the number of calls they are receiving for nicotine poisoning from e-cigarettes. This February, centers received 215 calls, compared with about one per month in 2010. About half of calls related to nicotine poisoning from e-cigarettes involved children ages 5 or younger.

The FDA is soon expected to announce regulations for e-cigarettes. While some health experts say the devices can help people stop using regular cigarettes, others are concerned they will encourage young people to take up smoking.

Most e-cigarettes are made in China, and their quality is inconsistent, making it difficult to assess their possible role in health problems.