California Dept. of Public Health Calls E-Cigarettes a ‘Community Health Threat’

scyther5/iStock/Thinkstock(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — A report issued by the California Department of Public Health on Wednesday calls electronic cigarettes a “community health threat.”

CDPH Director and State Health Office Ron Chapman wrote the introduction to the report, highlighting his concerns regarding marketing methods that “may…mislead consumers into believing that these products are harmless and safe for consumption.” Chapman noted that there were 154 e-cigarette poisonings among children age five and under in 2014 — well up from the seven such poisonings in 2012.

Chapman also mentioned the $2 billion, 25-year investment in efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use in California.

According to the report, e-cigarettes contain products that produce aerosol — not just water vapor — to be inhaled by the user. That aerosol can contain chemicals like formaldehyde, lead, nickel and acetaldehyde, which are found on California’s list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and reproductive harm.

The CDPH made several recommendations to restrict the sale and use of e-cigarettes, among them were the prohibition of e-cigarette sales to minors around the U.S., prohibition of free samples or e-cigarette vending machines in facilities where minors may spend time, and required registration of e-cigarette products with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The CDPH also aims to require a nicotine health warning on all e-cigarette products, while also mandating manufacturers disclose the ingredients of their product.

The CDPH further says it will create an educations campaign to impart the health dangers of e-cigarettes.

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