Preventing Accidental E-Liquid Exposure Around Children and Pets

If a person may have swallowed e-liquid or a child may have been exposed, contact U.S. Poison Control immediately, using its prominently displayed phone or online help route. The FDA advises calling even when you are not sure a child was exposed. Do not wait to finish reading a prevention checklist. For a medical emergency, call 911.

For a pet that may have ingested nicotine or e-liquid, contact a veterinarian or emergency veterinary service promptly. This article is public-health information, not advice about selecting or using a vaping product.

Remove access rather than relying on a warning

FDA guidance on accidental e-liquid exposure warns that nicotine-containing liquids can seriously harm children and also harm pets. It recommends keeping products in their original containers, out of children's and pets' reach and view.

Check the actual places an item may be left, including a bag, bedside surface or visiting adult's belongings. A useful household conversation is specific: who is responsible for removing access, and where will the item be secured? Do not assume that telling a child not to touch something settles the problem.

Give visitors the same instructions

Ask visitors to keep these products away from children and pets too. Make the expectation clear before a bag or coat is left where it can be reached. This is a household prevention step, not permission to use a product indoors or around other people.

Keep the emergency contact information available to caregivers. If someone is responsible for a child or pet temporarily, make sure they know whom to call if an exposure is suspected. Do not rely on one person's phone being available.

Make a simple prevention record

Do not use this table to assess whether an exposure is harmless. Suspected exposure is a reason to obtain professional guidance, not a home experiment or a reason to wait for symptoms.

The FDA also discusses nicotine poisoning in pets. Follow professional instructions for the actual situation. No product name, appearance or packaging design should be treated as proof that its contents are safe for a child or animal.