Lawmakers a step closer to regulating e-cigarettes

The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously approved legislation Thursday that will require manufacturers to create child-resistant packaging for all liquid nicotine containers.

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who authored the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act, revived his calls for safer packaging last month, after a toddler in upstate New York died as a result of swallowing the liquid chemical used in electronic cigarettes.

{mosads}“It’s simply common sense to make this potentially lethal product as difficult as possible for small children to get into,” Nelson said in a news release.

Though the bill passed committee after it was first introduced during the summer, it never made it to the floor. With bipartisan support from Republican co-sponsors like Sen. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Nelson is hoping the bill will pass this time around.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission will be directed to issue the new rules to manufacturers.

Marketed as e-juice by some, the easy-to-open vials are often brightly colored and come in various flavors like berry crunch, banana, bubble gum and green apple, making the product attractive to children.

According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, a single teaspoon of liquid nicotine can kill a small child and result in vomiting or seizures.