E-cigarettes cause alarming increase in calls to poison control center

[pianoguy]

Sounds more like e-cigarettes don't cure bad parenting. And a lot of the same old tired garbage trotted out in this article:

h t t p : // www . pmpnews . com /news/ e-cigarettes-cause-alarming-increase-calls-poison-control-center-kentucky-regional-poison-contr?cid=nl.pmp03

 

[Notorious C.I.G.]

Out of 72,000 calls, 39 were for ecigs, 2 needed immediate care, to put things in perspective. Like any substance a child shouldn't drink which every household has, they should be kept away from kids, obviously.

Title:
"E-cigarettes cause alarming increase in calls to poison control center, Kentucky Regional Poison Control Center of Kosair Children's Hospital sees 333 percent increase"

From reading this alone, one would think the call center had a 333% increase in calls, when the increase is actually specific to ecigs referring to a 9 to 39 call increase out of 72,000. Misleading journalism.

 

[LDS714]

Yeah but factual headlines such as "News Outlet Distorts Truth to Attract Attention" isn't as interesting to most people. Lowest Common Denominator and all that...

 

[Concat]

One study from the FDA in 2009..

You sons of...

 

[Vocalek]

Do I detect the evil hand of Ellen Hahn?

--------------

I haven't been able to read the story yet because so many random spaces were inserted into the address.

PLEASE

It is not necessary to insert a million spaces to break a link to junk science.

All you have to do is hit "Enter" somewhere in the middle of the link so that it does not automatically get made into a hyperlink. The web address will end up on two lines as just plain text.

Then those who are interested in the content can copy the two lines, paste into the address bar, and be on their merry way.

 

[AgentAnia]

You sons of...

Three little words that say so much!

 

[AgentAnia]

Do I detect the evil hand of Ellen Hahn?

My thought exactly! (In fact I was thinking just this morning that she's been so quiet lately....)

 

[Vocalek]

"And so far only two of the calls involved symptoms severe enough to require emergency care. But it's only a matter of time before a child experiences a severe reaction."

I would like to know how the number of calls for e-cigarettes compare to the number of calls for cigarettes and/or cigarette butts.

These numbers are from the 2011 Annual report from the American Association of Poison Control Centers

cigarettes 5,609
chew 906
CIGAR 106
Filter tips 83
other 116
snuff 501
Unknown 922
E-cigarette 258
Liquid 11

Fatalities from nicotine are extremely rare. Researchers reviewed 27 years of those annual reports and were only able to find one child fatality - the child had eaten cigarettes, but also had Valium in his/her system. My theory is that the Valium prevented the body from doing what it does to protect against oral nicotine poisoning: throwing up.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21821089
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230011001553

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2011 Jul 29. [Epub ahead of print]

Frequency and outcomes of accidental ingestion of tobacco products in young children.

Appleton S.
Source

Altria Client Services, 601 East Jackson Street, Richmond, VA 23219, USA.

Abstract

This review assesses published literature related to frequency and outcomes associated with accidental ingestion of tobacco and pharmaceutical nicotine products among young children. Twenty-seven years of annual reports by American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) were analyzed for occurrence and outcomes associated with accidental ingestion events involving tobacco and pharmaceutical nicotine products among young children. Over a 27-year period, and of >50 million contacts for all categories combined, 217,340 contacts involving ingestion of tobacco products were reported. Approximately 89% involved children <6years old. One fatality was reported, however the co-ingestion of both cigarettes and diazepam complicates an assessment of a contributory role of tobacco. The rate of major, non-fatal, outcomes was <0.1%. Data from AAPCC reports and other sources indicate the frequency of accidental poisoning events is relatively low for tobacco products compared with other products such as drugs, dietary supplements, cleaning products, and personal care products. These findings, along with those for pharmaceutical nicotine products, are consistent with published case reports and reviews, indicating that the frequency and severity of outcomes associated with accidental ingestion of tobacco products by young children appear to be relatively low. However, adults should keep tobacco products out of the reach of children.

 

[AgentAnia]

Guess we can add "It's just a matter of time" to the ANTZ hymnal (sung by bass/contralto, minor key).

ETA: I don't mean to make light of the problem. As long as there are children, and inattentive parents, there will be problems like this. Educating parents is the answer, not disparaging ecigs. (Do they disparage bleach?)

 

[Sundodger]

"And so far only two of the calls involved symptoms severe enough to require emergency care. But it's only a matter of time before a child experiences a severe reaction."

I would like to know how the number of calls for e-cigarettes compare to the number of calls for cigarettes and/or cigarette butts.

These numbers are from the 2011 Annual report from the American Association of Poison Control Centers

cigarettes 5,609
chew 906
CIGAR 106
Filter tips 83
other 116
snuff 501
Unknown 922
E-cigarette 258
Liquid 11

Fatalities from nicotine are extremely rare. Researchers reviewed 27 years of those annual reports and were only able to find one child fatality - the child had eaten cigarettes, but also had Valium in his/her system. My theory is that the Valium prevented the body from doing what it does to protect against oral nicotine poisoning: throwing up.

Frequency and outcomes of accidental... [Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230011001553

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2011 Jul 29. [Epub ahead of print]

Then what needs to be taken into account is how many of those calls needed further medical assistance? I remember years ago while helping dismantle a fire suppression system that had been supposedly discharged the dang thing went off. Covered everyone in the large dining room and kitchen with powder. Opened all windows and doors, read the warning labels and called the Poison Control Center. They asked several questions and told us it was OK considering the size of the building and the amount of powder that was discharged. Reported as a call, but is there anything in reporting the numbers that says nothing further was needed to be done because it wasn't dangerous?
Numbers game I'm sure, show how many calls you take and show you need the funding to remain or go up for next year.

 

[Fulgurant]

I wonder how many poison-control-center calls were caused by alarmist ersatz journalism concerning household items or situations.

 

[Nermal]

Title:
"E-cigarettes cause alarming increase in calls to poison control center, Kentucky Regional Poison Control Center of Kosair Children's Hospital sees 333 percent increase"

From reading this alone, one would think the call center had a 333% increase in calls, when the increase is actually specific to ecigs referring to a 9 to 39 call increase out of 72,000. Misleading journalism.

They're using 'change (or delta) percent, which is found by dividing the base by the change, so 9/30 is about right. Yes though, it is an insignificant percentage of the 72,000 calls, and is a little misleading.

 

[Vocalek]

Then what needs to be taken into account is how many of those calls needed further medical assistance? I remember years ago while helping dismantle a fire suppression system that had been supposedly discharged the dang thing went off. Covered everyone in the large dining room and kitchen with powder. Opened all windows and doors, read the warning labels and called the Poison Control Center. They asked several questions and told us it was OK considering the size of the building and the amount of powder that was discharged. Reported as a call, but is there anything in reporting the numbers that says nothing further was needed to be done because it wasn't dangerous?
Numbers game I'm sure, show how many calls you take and show you need the funding to remain or go up for next year.

Not sure how pertinent it is with such small numbers, but here are the stats for "treated in a medical facility" and I calculated the percent of the total

cigarettes 5,609 226 4.03%
chew 906 872 96.25%
CIGAR 106 24 22.64%
Filter tips 83 0 0.00%
other 116 8 6.90%
snuff 501 127 25.35%
Unknown 922 226 24.51%
E-cigarette 258 55 21.32%
Liquid 11 3 27.27%

 

[Fulgurant]

They're using 'change (or delta) percent, which is found by dividing the base by the change, so 9/30 is about right. Yes though, it is an insignificant percentage of the 72,000 calls, and is a little misleading.

"I made a 1,000% return on my initial investment!"

"Too bad I only invested a penny."

 

[Vocalek]

Addendum.

Also from the 2011 Poison Control Center report

Nicotine pharmaceuticals (i.e. patch, gum, etc.)

1413 Exposures
296 Treated in Health Care Facility

about 20.1% --Close to the e-cigarette in terms of percent of total exposures, but many more exposures. Not surprising given that the NRTs have been on the market much, much longer.

 

[rothenbj]

Out of 72,000 calls, 39 were for ecigs, 2 needed immediate care, to put things in perspective. Like any substance a child shouldn't drink which every household has, they should be kept away from kids, obviously.

Title:
"E-cigarettes cause alarming increase in calls to poison control center, Kentucky Regional Poison Control Center of Kosair Children's Hospital sees 333 percent increase"

From reading this alone, one would think the call center had a 333% increase in calls, when the increase is actually specific to ecigs referring to a 9 to 39 call increase out of 72,000. Misleading journalism.

Actually, if the 333% number is correct it was closer to 12 (11.7) calls last year and 39 this year. I see them again using the children as their propaganda tool.

 

[Spazmelda]

Actually, if the 333% number is correct it was closer to 12 (11.7) calls last year and 39 this year. I see them again using the children as their propaganda tool.

I noticed that too. X% of 9 = 39 would actually be 433%. Even scarier a,!,!!

How about people who just called in to ask questions? "Is this dangerous to my child?" I wonder if people do that?

 

[Rickajho]

Guess we can add "It's just a matter of time" to the ANTZ hymnal (sung by bass/contralto, minor key).

ETA: I don't mean to make light of the problem. As long as there are children, and inattentive parents, there will be problems like this. Educating parents is the answer, not disparaging ecigs. (Do they disparage bleach?)

Isn't it about time they made a childproof child?

 

[Rickajho]

Addendum.

Also from the 2011 Poison Control Center report

Nicotine pharmaceuticals (i.e. patch, gum, etc.)

1413 Exposures
296 Treated in Health Care Facility

about 20.1% --Close to the e-cigarette in terms of percent of total exposures, but many more exposures. Not surprising given that the NRTs have been on the market much, much longer.

Well jeez, where's the alarmists jumping all over that one? I mean - allowing them to make NRT that looks like gum! (Egads! It IS gum!) Or candy - in lozenge or tic-tac form. Oh! The outrage!

Oh yeah - there isn't any.

Welcome to your first class in Lies and Statistics 101. School is in session.

 

[Anjaffm]

bah humbug!

and how about the dangers of nicotine gum handed out in schools without information to parents?
Boy, 14, collapses after overdosing on nicotine chewing gum handed out in school | Mail Online

that happened in 2009 already...
Hm.. speaking of 2009, where is the FDA blathering about that danger? And why is it not repeated all over the place until this day?

Hm....... makes me wonder... eh?