Toddler Nicotine Poisonings Have Skyrocketed 763% In 3 Years

The number of children under the age of six who are ingesting nicotine products has increased by 763% over the span of just three years — and researchers say it’s due to the soaring popularity in two products: nicotine vapes and nicotine pouches like Zyn.

The study, which was published this week in the scientific journal Pediatrics, found that between the years of 2020 and 2023, nicotine poisonings rose from 0.48 per 100,000 children to 4.14 per 100,000.

While some of these poisonings were due to products like cigarettes, chewing tobacco, nicotine gum, lozenges, and patches, many were due to nicotine pouches and ecigarettes.

The vast majority of these poisonings occurred at home.

Philip Morris, which owns Zyn, the most popular brand of nicotine pouches, said in a statement that, “Zyn’s packaging is designed to be child resistant.”

While most cases of nicotine poisoning did not result in serious health consequences, 39 out of the 134,663 reported cases since 2010 involved significant health issues including nausea, vomiting and tremors. Two children, both of whom ingested ecigarette nicotine liquid, died from poisoning. They were both between one and two years old.

Even relatively small amounts of nicotine can harm a small child by increasing their heart rate and blood pressure. Larger amounts can result in coma or death.

Just one nicotine pouch can produce poisoning effects in kids, and they are easy to place in your mouth and come in enticing flavors.

“It’s a high-concentration nicotine product, and it tastes good,” said Dr. Natalie Rine, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and co-author of the study, told CNN. “There’s nothing telling the kid, ‘this is bad, you should spit it out’ … and that’s where you get into trouble.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health, which tracked and responded to dangerous trends like these, has been dismantled by the Trump administration.

How To Prevent Child Nicotine Poisoning

The best way to prevent nicotine poisonings in kids is to keep nicotine products out of your house. But barring that, treat your nicotine products with the same safety measures as prescription medication. Keep it in its child-proof containers and also keep those containers out of reach of children — ideally locked away.

Education is also important. Make sure that friends and family know the dangers of nicotine poisoning — and that kids know that it’s dangerous, too, once they’re old enough to understand.