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

[Nermal]

They're doing that, Anjaffm? Passing out addictive drugs to children, disguised as chewing gum? I'm not one to go around sueing people with little or no provocation, but this is flat out outrageous.

 

[Anjaffm]

They're doing that, Anjaffm? Passing out addictive drugs to children, disguised as chewing gum? I'm not one to go around sueing people with little or no provocation, but this is flat out outrageous.

well, it looks like they most certainly did

This is low-strength nicotine gum and there is nothing stopping youngsters from the age of 12 buying it over the counter.

‘Decca does not have to inform pupils’ parents about this.’

DECCA Service manager Margaret Storrie defended the council's policy of handing out Nicorette gum to children without telling parents.

At least they did in 2009, the date of that article.
And I do not hear any ANTZ blathering on and on about the horrible dangers of nicotine gum given out to children (!) without even any information to their parents.

'We will investigate the incident and will continue to ensure that young people know about the dangers of giving the gum to others as well as the correct dosage.'

Save the children, indeed

 

[Rickajho]

They're doing that, Anjaffm? Passing out addictive drugs to children, disguised as chewing gum? I'm not one to go around sueing people with little or no provocation, but this is flat out outrageous.

Not sure there is a leg to stand on there, since Nicorette use is only contraindicated for children under the age of 13. Undoubtedly FDA approved.

 

[NorthOfAtlanta]

'We will investigate the incident and will continue to ensure that young people know about the dangers of giving the gum to others as well as the correct dosage.'

Oh yeah, more parenting moving to the schools.......

 

[LDS714]

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?

Hush little girl.

Here's a big, fat, juicy, six digit campaign contribution.

Now go behave.

 

[AgentAnia]

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."

:in cynical mode: What does "require emergency care" mean in this context? Did the poison control center advise the parent to take the child to the ER (I assume that's what "require emergency care" means) based on the parent's description? What was the extent of care actually provided? Was any follow-up done with the ER?

Do poison control centers follow up on the calls they receive? Or are they simply reporting on what they advised the caller? (Asking because I'm not familiar with PCCs.)

Also, the statement "it's only a matter of time before a child experiences a severe reaction" implies to me that the reactions they're talking about in the article were not "severe." Or am I nitpicking?

:unable to exit cynical mode:

 

[Vocalek]

Every time I struggle to get product out of a package that is "child-proof" I say to myself, "Now where is a kid when I need one!" before I run off to get the hammer, chisel, and chain saw.

I'm pretty sure that "child-proof" means that there is proof that only child can get the package open.

 

[Uma]

:in cynical mode: What does "require emergency care" mean in this context? Did the poison control center advise the parent to take the child to the ER (I assume that's what "require emergency care" means) based on the parent's description? What was the extent of care actually provided? Was any follow-up done with the ER?

Do poison control centers follow up on the calls they receive? Or are they simply reporting on what they advised the caller? (Asking because I'm not familiar with PCCs.)

Also, the statement "it's only a matter of time before a child experiences a severe reaction" implies to me that the reactions they're talking about in the article were not "severe." Or am I nitpicking?

:unable to exit cynical mode:

Excellent questions!! Very thought provoking, indeed.

 

[AgentAnia]

I've been researching poison control centers.

The National Poison Data System (NPDS) is the only comprehensive poisoning exposure surveillance database in the United States. Maintained by the American Association of Poison Control Centers, NPDS contains information from the human poison exposure case phone calls taken by all 56 poison centers across the country.

The AAPCC website answered one of my questions: It is standard procedure to follow up on calls. The following report, in fact, gives numbers for those treated at a medical facility and the various treatment outcomes (none, minor, moderate, major, death). (You can do a word search for "nicotine" to find the relevant tables.)

Here is their report for the most recent national statistics, 2011: https://aapcc.s3.amazonaws.com/pdfs/annual_reports/2011_NPDS_Annual_Report_-_Final.pdf

 

[Spazmelda]

I've been researching poison control centers.



The AAPCC website answered one of my questions: It is standard procedure to follow up on calls. The following report, in fact, gives numbers for those treated at a medical facility and the various treatment outcomes (none, minor, moderate, major, death). (You can do a word search for "nicotine" to find the relevant tables.)

Here is their report for the most recent national statistics, 2011: https://aapcc.s3.amazonaws.com/pdfs/annual_reports/2011_NPDS_Annual_Report_-_Final.pdf

Very interesting. Other tobacco products dwarf electronic cigarettes at this point.

Last time I was visiting my in laws, my husband's cousin and her husband and child came over to visit. The little girl (about 2 years old) was playing with her dad's chewing tobacco can. I made a comment like, "oh, she's got that. Do you want me to put it away so she can't get it?" Her dad was like, "oh she plays with it all the time. Pretends to get some out and stick it in her mouth. It's so cute." I kind of sat there shocked. I know it's unlikely that she would die from it, but if she managed to eat some she could get pretty sick. Parents can do some dumb things.

 

[AgentAnia]

Yikes... That sure sounds like a poison control center call in the making. I hope you set the parents straight!