Reports of burns with electronic cigarettes

Dr. Gary Vercruysse and his colleagues from the University of Arizona reports three thermal burn injuries following use of electronic cigarettes. These reports appears in the journal Burns and points to lithium ion battery failure as the culprit.

The researchers’ study comes at a time of increasing scrutiny of lithium ion batteries contained in so-called electronic nicotine delivery systems, or ENDS, which include electronic cigarettes.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Navy suspended the use, possession and storage of ENDS aboard ships, submarines, aircraft, boats, craft and heavy equipment. And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Tobacco Products hosted a science-based public workshop on April 19 and 20 in Silver Springs, MD, to gather information and stimulate discussion about these batteries.

Citation: Bauman, Zachary M., Jordan Roman, Matthew Singer, and Gary A. Vercruysse. “Canary in the coal mine—Initial reports of thermal injury secondary to electronic cigarettes.” Burns 43, no. 3 (2017).
doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.09.024.
Adapted from press release by the University of Arizona.