President Barack Obama signed S. 142, the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015, which was introduced a year ago by Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida), Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire), and 20 other U.S. senators.
It requires the packaging of liquid nicotine containers to be subject to existing child poisoning prevention packaging standards. Child-resistant caps on e-liquid products were already the law in 15 states, and child-resistant packaging is also a requirement for members of the American E-Liquid Manufacturing Standards Association.
One teaspoon of liquid nicotine is potentially lethal to a child, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. In 2014, poison control centers reported 3,783 e-cigarette and liquid nicotine exposure cases, over half involving children under age 6. In December 2014, a 1-year-old boy in New York died after ingesting liquid nicotine.
Under the law, which the President signed last week, liquid nicotine can only be sold in child-resistant bottles and containers that meet the same standards as other potentially poisonous household substances, as set forth in the Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970.
The American Vaping Association and tobacco harm reduction and smoking cessation groups all agree that child-resistant packaging is needed and regulation was needed to prevent "bad actors" in the marketplace from putting kids at risk.
The law excludes sealed, pre-filled, and disposable containers that are inserted directly into an electronic cigarette.
It will take effect in 180 days.
