Study Says E-Cigarette Poisonings Surge In Young Children

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A study of U.S. poison center calls has found that e-cigarettes are sickening more and more children under 6.

The research in Monday's journal Pediatrics says about 14 children per month were sickened by e-cigarettes when the study began in January 2012, and it rose to about 223 per month by the time the study ended in April 2015.

Researchers say most kids weren't seriously harmed, but one child died and several others had severe complications including comas and seizures.

"This is an epidemic by any definition,'' lead researcher Dr. Gary Smith said. Smith is the director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Researchers say the study shows that parents need to do a better job of keeping e-cigarettes out of their children's reach.

Brian, a manager at Aladdin Smoke Shop in Paramus, New Jersey, said he thinks e-cigarettes are saving millions of lives for those who no longer smoke regular cigarettes.

"Kids are going to get their hands on whatever they're going to get their hands on," he told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck. "The question is do you want to have cigarettes that cause all these problems and even house fires, or a vaporizer that's going to give you a hell of lot less problems."

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration released long-awaited rules that bring the burgeoning industry under federal oversight.

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