Vaping-related injury and illness among Canadian children and adolescents: A one-time survey of paediatric providers

Abstract

A one-time survey distributed to 2693 Canadian paediatricians enrolled in the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Programme was conducted between October and December 2019. We identified a wide range of severe vaping-related injuries and illnesses among children ages 0-17 (n=88), which were associated with the routine use or malfunctioning of a vaping device or the ingestion of vaping substances. The most common clinical presentations were acute respiratory symptoms and nicotine toxicity and 15% (n=13) of injuries required intensive care unit admission. Our study highlights the urgent need for substantive policy measures to help protect youth against the risks associated with vaping products.