U.S. FDA Warns of Potential Seizure Risk in Some Users of E-Cigarettes

By Reuters Staff

(Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday warned of potential safety risks from the use of e-cigarettes after it found certain users had suffered from seizures.

The agency said it has identified 35 reported cases of seizures following use of e-cigarettes between 2010 and early 2019.

However, the agency said it could not yet say for certain that e-cigarettes had caused the seizures and the cases warrant an investigation into whether there is in fact a connection.

Seizures or convulsions are known potential side effects of nicotine poisoning and have been reported in relation to intentional or accidental swallowing of nicotine-containing e-liquids, according to the FDA statement.

E-cigarettes have been a divisive topic in the public health community, with some focusing on the benefit of shifting smokers to less harmful nicotine products, while others fear it would create a new generation addicted to nicotine.

Last month, the FDA had released formal plans to curb the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in order to slow the surge in teenage use of the popular nicotine devices.

The agency on Wednesday said that it was also looking into any additional consequences to nicotine use as some e-cigarettes deliver high concentrations of nicotine.

The FDA said many of the reports it had received lacked enough information to identify a specific brand or sub-brand of e-cigarettes.

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