Dangers of Electronic Smoking Devices

Posted in Defective Products on November 29, 2021

Electronic smoking devices, commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes or e-cigs, are incredibly popular. This is particularly true for teens and younger adults. Once touted as a way to help individuals stop smoking real tobacco cigarettes, we now have a more thorough understanding of the dangers of electronic smoking devices. Here, we want to examine some of the dangers associated with electronic cigarettes and other types of electronic smoking devices.

Addiction Dangers of Electronic Cigarettes

Electronic smoking devices, which regularly go by the term “vaping devices,” are battery-powered devices that individuals use to inhale aerosols that typically contain nicotine, flavoring, and other types of chemicals. These devices come in many shapes and sizes, including ones that look just like regular cigarettes, those that mimic USB devices, and others that look like various types of pipes.

As these devices have become more and more popular, particularly amongst teens and young adults, the health effects have become more well known.

• Nicotine in electronic cigarette devices typically absorbs into the bloodstream much faster than traditional cigarettes.
• Vaping devices exposed people to a variety of chemicals, including those added to flavor the liquid as well as chemicals used during the heating and vaping process. Studies have found that these vapors often contain known cancer-causing carcinogens and other toxic chemicals.
• A few years ago, there was an outbreak of lung disease caused by vaping products that contained vitamin E acetate

Electronic cigarettes and other types of vaping devices have been found to be particularly harmful to a developing teenage brain. Nicotine affects the development of the brain’s reward system, and continued use of nicotine while vaping not only to enhances addiction for teens, but it can also make other drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine, more pleasurable to a developing teenage brain.

Other risks of nicotine and vaping include developing issues with permanent impulse control and other mood disorders in an individual’s brain.

In addition to these risks, the FDA has warned about the following reported injuries and illnesses caused by or made worse by e-cigarettes:

• Pneumonia
• Congestive heart failure
• Seizures
• Disorientation
• Hypertension
• Hypotension

There is currently very little oversight of electronic cigarettes from the Food and Drug Administration or other government regulatory agencies. However, in 2019, the federal government raised the minimum legal age for buying these products, and all tobacco products, from 18 to 21 years of age.

Explosion Dangers of Electronic Cigarettes

In addition to the dangers associated with the actual inhalation of vapors from electronic cigarette devices, there is also a risk that poorly manufactured vaping devices could lead to fires and explosions. There have been instances where individuals sustained severe burns and explosion types of injuries while carrying an e-cigarette in their pocket, in their book bag or purse, or while holding it in their hand. These types of injuries require months of recovery time and extensive expenses for an injury victim.

Contact an Attorney

If you or somebody you love has been injured as a result of an electronic cigarette, please reach out to an Atlanta personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Regardless of whether or not you have sustained an internal illness or an external traumatic injury, an attorney can help investigate the situation and work to recover compensation for losses. This can include coverage of medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering damages, and more.