Senate Dems want childproof nicotine bottles
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) introduced a bill Thursday that would require childproof liquid nicotine bottles.
“There’s enough nicotine in some of these bottles to kill small children, and even if a small amount spilled on a child’s skin it could make them extremely ill,” Nelson said.
{mosads}The Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act, S. 2581, aims to halt the recent surge in liquid-nicotine-related child poisonings.
Nelson said that according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, there have been more than 1,500 calls regarding liquid nicotine exposure this year — twice as many as last year.
Democrats have grown increasingly concerned about the lack of regulations on e-cigarette products, such as liquid nicotine.
“We have childproof containers on everything from vitamins to ibuprofen, so it’s just plain common sense that we place childproof mechanisms on highly-toxic and poisonous liquid nicotine,” Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said. “Robust FDA regulation of e-cigarettes is absolutely essential to protect our children from these products.”
Lawmakers have also been critical of e-cigarette manufacturers marketing to children with flavors such as Cotton Candy, Fruit Loops and Gummi Bears.
“There is a word for the toxic candy-flavored liquids found in electronic cigarettes: poison,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said. “Protecting our nation’s children from exposure to poison is basic common sense, especially when it can have dangerous and fatal consequences like liquid nicotine.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed..