The FDA will hold a 2-day public meeting in April to learn more about the dangers of exploding lithium-ion batteries in e-cigarettes, following dozens of reports of people who were seriously injured or burned.
Last month, the Associated Press reported that 66 e-cigarette explosions were received by the FDA in 2015 and 2016.
However, that number represents just a fraction of the total number of e-cigarette batteries that have overheated or caught fire.
A comprehensive list by eCigOne details 204 e-cigarette explosions, resulting in 130 injuries or deaths, that were reported in the news between August 2009 and November 2016.
Just days ago, this vape explosion on a bus in Fresno, California left a man with 3rd-degree burns:
E-cigarettes or “vapes” are handheld devices that vaporize liquid nicotine. They are widely marketed as healthier alternatives to traditional cigarettes, with all the nicotine and none of the tar, and a good way to help people quit smoking.
However, they may still pose health hazards, as studies have raised concerns about lung disease from formaldehyde and flavoring chemicals.
The FDA announced last year that it would begin regulating e-cigarettes, ban sales to minors under 18, and require manufacturers to get approval to sell e-liquids.
The cost of getting approval for an e-liquid — estimated at $1 million per flavor — threatens to wipe out most of the home-grown industry and hand over a big advantage to the “Big Three” tobacco companies.
Critics have questioned if e-cigarettes should even fall under FDA jurisdiction, seeing as they do not necessarily contain tobacco products. Synthetic nicotine, for example, is not derived from tobacco, and some e-liquids contain no nicotine at all to help smokers quit.
Source: Associated Press