DOH warns public vs vape devices

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday cautioned the public against buying and using e-cigarettes following a report that one of these exploded while being used by a 17-year-old smoker.

Doctors of the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) said the patient suffered injuries on the lips, oral mucosa, palate and tongue, as well as burns and hematoma in the upper and lower lids of the eye.

According to the DOH, the patient was taken to EAMC last Oct. 30 after the batteries of the vaping device exploded.

The mother of the patient claimed that the batteries used in the vaping device were swapped and exchange through acquaintances in social media. However, the social media account used was already inactive when the family tried to access it.  

“These devices are not toys and contains concomitant health and safety hazards which may lure teenagers to pick up the habit of smoking,” the DOH stressed as it advised parents to discourage their children from using e-cigarettes.

The DOH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are still looking into the safety and health issues of vaping devices. They are also checking on its on-line selling.

E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat e-liquids to produce aerosols that users inhale, mimicking the act of smoking.

DOH said vaping devices could cause severe burns and injuries that may require intensive and prolonged medical treatment. 

Although the cause of the explosion is still uncertain, the DOH suspects that this could be related to poorly designed lithium-ion batteries, use of wrong charger, over-charging or incorrectly storing the device which may lead to over-heating, fires and explosion. 

The FDA regulates e-cigarettes as medicinal products because of its nicotine content and no device/e-liquids have been registered nor evaluated by the agency for safety, efficacy and quality.

The DOH is urging the public, hospitals and doctors to report any injuries and accidents related to vaping use.