COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Ohio lawmaker wants to require liquid nicotine used to refill e-cigarettes be sold in childproof containers, citing a rise in accidental poisonings.
State Sen. Shannon Jones (R–Springboro) claims cases of accidental poisonings from liquid nicotine have nearly tripled with the rising popularity of electronic cigarettes, according to a release from her office.
Poison centers have reported nearly 200 calls a day related to accidental exposures to liquid nicotine refills, half of which were for exposures in children under the age of five, Jones said.
If the bill she introduced Thursday becomes law, Ohio would become the fourth state – following Vermont, Minnesota, and Illinois – to enact similar legislation.
Jones says, while the Food and Drug Administration has issued proposed regulations that would deem liquid nicotine a product subject to tobacco regulatory authority, there is currently no plan to require liquid nicotine be sold in child-resistant containers.