(NewsNation) — Poison control centers are sounding the alarm on nicotine pouches as the number of young children accidentally ingesting them rises.
According to a study published in the medical journal Pediatrics, calls to poison control centers that involved children under the age of 6 with nicotine poisoning rose by over 760% between 2020 and 2023. Nearly all cases happened at home.
While cases included chewing tobacco, vapes and nicotine replacements such as gum and lozenges, authors of the study pointed to the rising popularity of flavored nicotine pouches as the driving force behind accidental nicotine poisonings.
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The levels of nicotine in pouches can vary from 3 to 12 milligrams per pouch. At the lowest doses, it can release more nicotine than a cigarette, and even that small amount can be dangerous to children. Some minor symptoms of nicotine poisoning include nausea and vomiting, but as the dose increases, more serious side effects include high blood pressure and a fast heart rate, which can lead to seizures and respiratory failure…