For many in Ohio who wanted to stop smoking, the e-cigarette was perfect. They could still have the satisfaction of smoking without the danger of using tobacco products. Recently, however, some emergency room doctors have begun sharing stories of patients who received serious injuries from the hazardous materials in personal vaporizers. Health and safety advocates are urging consumers to be cautious with these devices.
E-cigarette explosions have been reported across the country, and one medical journal detailed the types of injuries the vaporizers cause. Patients often end up admitted to hospital burn units with injuries to their faces, hands or groin areas. Eighty percent of the burns are from flames, but 33 percent of patients have chemical burns. Another 27 percent have injuries from the blast, such as missing teeth or disfiguring tattoos. Some reported damage to their soft tissue, broken teeth or loss of function in some body parts.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates vaping devices, but the lithium-ion batteries that overheat and explode may be regulated by another government agency. Although the FDA and other safety advocates are urging consumers to be cautious when using the e-cigarettes, some who have been injured were apparently already following the precautions to prevent overheating the device’s batteries. The FDA suggests it may be time for changes in the design of the vaporizers.
In Ohio and other states, the use of e-cigarettes is a common sight. Unfortunately, injuries from exploding vaporizers are also becoming more common. The hazardous materials in the lithium-ion batteries put consumers at risk, and some have already suffered as a result. Undoubtedly, attorneys for victims of e-cigarette explosions will be seeking possible compensation for the pain and suffering inflicted by these faulty products.
Source: kansascity.com, “His e-cigarette blew out his teeth; others have suffered burned groins and faces”, Karen Kaplan, Oct. 11, 2016
