A recent article in the NY Times entitled “Selling a Poison by the Barrel: Liquid Nicotine for E-Cigarettes” is drawing fire from the vaping community and other major news outlets. Even the Los Angeles Weekly posted a scathing take-down of the NY Times piece, accusing the Times of exaggerating statistics and misrepresenting data.
So lets take a look at some hard facts and data, and attempt to arrive at a balanced answer to the question of whether or not e-liquids are poisonous.
By itself, an electronic cigarette liquid that does not contain nicotine is not poisonous. It is, in fact, the nicotine that is both the target of the Times piece, and the substance that vapers should be aware of, if not very mindful of.
Lets get a few agreed upon facts out of the way:
1. The generally accepted fatal dose of nicotine for a human is somewhere between 500-1000 mg of nicotine.
2. Unlike many other substances, nicotine is readily absorbed through the skin, meaning that if you spill an e-liquid on yourself, the nicotine can be absorbed through the skin, and absorbed quickly.
3. The total number of deaths from nicotine poisoning in 2012 was only one. An individual injected a nicotine solution into himself as part of his suicide.
4. In 2012, the total number of deaths from NSAIDS (Advil) was 50.
5. In 2012, the National Poison Data System received 447 calls related to electronic cigarettes
6. In 2012, the National Poison Data System received 20,306 calls related to toothpaste.
Perspective and context are extremely important, a fact the NY Times should be well aware of. None of this is to say that nicotine is a completely harmless substance. One tablespoon of the 10% nicotine solution many e-liquid makers use is enough to make an adult very sick. These professionals need to be careful and use a precautionary set of best practices in order to protect themselves.
However, the actual concentration of nicotine found in e-liquids is normally 1.8% or less. In these concentrations, just spilling a little e-juice on yourself or getting the dreaded “juicy hit” from your tank is not going to hurt you. It’s a matter of scale.
Put simply: If you drink a bottle of e-liquid, you are going to get sick. If your child drinks a bottle of e-liquid, they will get sick. But the same and worse can be said for a bottle of Tylenol.
E-liquid is not harmless. Vapers must keep their electronic cigarettes and e-liquids away from children and pets. Make sure to wash any skin that comes into contact with your e-liquid. These are the same sensible precautions taken with household cleaning products or medicines.
In the end, what it comes down to is personal responsibility and common sense. Vapers have the responsibility to act like a logical adult and handle their e-liquids with care. Parents have the responsibility to keep potentially harmful substances away from their children. And newspapers – especially well known, largely read newspapers with substantial audiences – have the responsibility to tell the truth with context. That’s just common sense.
If you are concerned with the nicotine levels in your e juice, or you simply want to be prepared, take down the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ toll free number. By calling 1-800-222-1222 you can put yourself in touch with experts who have the advice that you need. They can even help you find a poison control center near you.