How E-Cigarettes Can Hurt Kids, Everything You Need To Know

A new survey reveals that indoor use of electronic cigarettes can expose the kids to nicotine, which most of Americans are not aware of. The nicotine deposits get accumulated on the surface, thus causing harm to the little ones.

Though the use of e-cigarettes has increased drastically in the United States, most of the parents are still not aware of its deadly consequences. The devices are used like usual cigarettes but rather than using tobacco, they vaporize a liquid mixture comprising of nicotine, glycerin, and glycol. The flavored liquid can attract the kids. If consumed, a teaspoon of this electronic liquid can be harmful to children and leads to nausea and vomiting. Exposure to the skin can also cause deadly consequences among kids.

According to a report published in Health.com, Robert McMillen, an associate professor of psychology at Mississippi State University states that e-cigarettes emit a toxic aerosol. He further added that many parents aren't aware of the risk that exposure poses for their kids and they do not implement household rules to protect their kids.

A survey was conducted among more than 3000 adults in 2015 where McMillen and his colleagues found that 68% of people did not allow e-cigarettes in their home, more than three-quarters banned the battery operated services in the car, and out of ten, eight said that e-cigarettes should not be allowed in places with smoking bans. The researchers also found out that many adults were not clear about the fatal consequences of using e-cigarettes.

Nearly 37% of the participants knew that exhaled e-cigarette vapor contains nicotine and using them indoor can deposit nicotine on the surface. Some parents said that the easiest way to lower the risk of children consuming e-cigarette was to store the liquid out of reach of the kids. A case was reported last year where a child died due to ingesting liquid nicotine.

As per a report published in Science Daily, Jane Garbutt, professor of medicine and of pediatrics at the School of Medicine urged to encourage the pediatricians to ask the parents regarding nicotine, including e-cigarettes and their risks. According to the survey, males between the age of 18 and 24 with a lower level of education were more prone to the consumption of e-cigarettes.

It's high time that parents should be educated about the risk involved in consuming e-cigarettes and the need to ban tobacco and e-cigarette at home and other places.