NY
fines liquid nicotine makers for not child-proofing
packages
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[June 24, 2015] By
Katie Reilly
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York has fined
four makers of liquid nicotine used in electronic cigarettes over
packaging that was too easy for children to open, in violation of a law
enacted last year after a toddler died from ingesting the substance, the
state's top prosecutor said on Tuesday.
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New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a settlement
with four companies selling liquid nicotine products online and in
brick and mortar stores in New York.
The settlement requires the four companies to remove from New York
stores all liquid nicotine with packaging that is not
child-resistant. The companies must also pay penalties totaling
$95,000 to the state and show proof of testing packaging for proper
poison protection.
The first child in the United States to die from exposure to liquid
nicotine was reportedly an 18-month-old boy in upstate New York who
succumbed in 2014 after accidentally ingesting the toxic fluid.
Shortly thereafter, the New York Legislature passed a bill requiring
that all liquid nicotine be sold in bottles that are more difficult
for children to open. The bill was passed in June and signed into
law in December.
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The settlements are a result of an ongoing investigation to monitor
compliance with the law.
"We are committed to protecting young people from the dangers of
tobacco in all forms," Schneiderman said.
“As our investigation continues, I urge the federal government to do
their part by requiring child-resistant packaging for these products
nationwide, and to regulate the marketing and advertising of
e-cigarettes,” he said.
Liquid nicotine is used in e-cigarettes, which are becoming
increasingly popular among both adults and minors. E-cigarette use
among middle and high school students in the United States tripled
from 2013 to 2014, according to a recent report by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
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About 10 percent of U.S. adults now use e-cigarettes, according to
an online Reuters/Ipsos poll of 5,679 Americans conducted between
May 19 and June 4. That statistic is almost four times higher than
an estimate by the U.S. government that 2.6 percent of adults used
e-cigarettes in 2013. [IDn:L1N0YV128]
Three of the companies, Rocket Sheep, Henley Vaporium and ECig
Distributors, Inc, were not immediately available or could not be
reached for comment.
The fourth, Beyond Vape, posted a notice on its website offering
customers who purchased liquid nicotine in New York after Dec. 29,
2014 a free child-resistant container of liquid nicotine or a full
refund.
(Reporting by Katie Reilly; Editing by David Gregorio)
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