New poison concerns because of e-cigs liquid

ATLANTA — There's a new warning out in Georgia that an increasing number of children are being poisoned by the liquid in e-cigarettes.
 
Experts said as little as a teaspoon of the e-cigarette liquid could potentially be lethal.
 
E-cigarettes are a growing trend and with it, come many risks, according to Dr. Gaylord Lopez, with the Georgia Poison Center.
 
"The liquid nicotine is very potent and in just a few drops can cause someone go into the hospital, a few more drops after that can even be lethal," Lopez said.
 
The liquid, made up of a cocktail of nicotine and other ingredients, is sold in different flavors and used to fill up e-cigarettes.
 
"It is very dramatic. As little as just a few drops of the liquid nicotine can produce symptoms," Lopez said.
 
Lopez said symptoms range from upset stomachs, to problems with blood pressure or even nervous system issues.
 
Since 2011, the Georgia Poison Center has received about 60 calls of people potentially being poisoned by e-cigarettes or the liquid.
 
"The majority of cases that we are seeing are in kids under the age of 5," Lopez said.
 
Nationwide, there has been a 300 percent increase from 2012 to 2013, according to the American Poison Control Center.
 
One of the problems, Lopez said, is that there is no regulation.
 
"They are not even regulated by the FDA, unlike cigarettes, you could be any age and buy this," Lopez said.
 
Experts said the danger with the liquid is not just ingesting it, it gets in through the pores of your skin.
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned use of electronic cigarettes among middle and high school students doubled from 2011 to 2012.
 
It is legal for teenagers to buy e-cigarettes.

WSBTV