California's top public health official slams e-cigarettes

By Sharon Bernstein SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - California's top public health official on Wednesday said electronic cigarettes are addictive, leading to nicotine poisoning among children and threatening to unravel the state's decades-long effort to reduce tobacco use. The report by California Department of Public Health Director Ron Chapman comes as the state legislature is debating whether to regulate e-cigarettes under the state's tobacco regulations. “E-cigarettes contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals, and the nicotine in them is as addictive as the nicotine in cigarettes,” Chapman said. “I am advising Californians to avoid the use of e-cigarettes and keep them away from children of all ages.” Chapman's report drew criticism from the growing e-cigarette industry, which says the heated liquid that users inhale is not as dangerous as the by-products of burning tobacco in regular cigarettes, cigars and pipes. "This report inappropriately paints this complex and important public health topic as a black and white issue," said Gregory Conley, President of the American Vaping Association. Vaping is a nickname for using e-cigarettes, which involves inhaling vapor from liquid heated by the device. "Despite the health officer's false claims, there is ample evidence that vaping helps smokers quit and is far less hazardous than smoking," Conley said. According to Chapman's report, 7.6 percent of California's young adults aged 18-29 used electronic cigarettes in 2013, up from 2.3 percent in 2012. Among children under the age of five, incidents of nicotine poisoning rose from seven in 2012 to 154 in 2014, the report said. "Of particular concern to me is the impact of e-cigarettes on the health and safety of children, teens and young adults," Chapman said. The flavors of the liquid in the devices include cotton candy, gummy bear, chocolate mint and grape, making them appealing to youth, he said. The benefits and risks of e-cigarettes are the subject of intense debate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is exploring potential product standards in the areas of addiction, toxicity and product appeal. But the head of the FDA's tobacco division has also noted that e-cigarettes do not flood the lungs with smoke and tar as regular cigarettes do. On Monday, Democratic state Senator Mark Leno of San Francisco introduced a bill to regulate e-cigarettes under the state's tobacco control laws. Leno's bill would make it illegal to use e-cigarettes in most public places, including schools, hospitals, job sites, restaurants and bars. It would also increase penalties for selling them to children. (Editing by Eric Walsh)