Sources: FDA.gov; Asbury Park Sun
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has become aware that some people who use e-cigarettes have experienced seizures, with most reports involving youth or young adult users. Seizures or convulsions are known potential side effects of nicotine toxicity and have been reported in relation to intentional or accidental swallowing of e-liquid.
Seizures result from sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Not all seizures involve full body shaking — other signs include a lapse in awareness or consciousness, which may look like a person is staring blankly into space for a few seconds, or suddenly stops moving (with or without falling down). Most seizures end in a few seconds or minutes, and the person may seem fine, sleepy, confused, have a headache, or may not remember what they were doing or what happened right before the seizure.
While seizures generally do not cause lasting harm, they indicate the need for medical attention. If you think a person is having a seizure, call 911 and seek immediate medical help. For exposures with less serious visible effects, or if you have questions, call Poison Control at 800-222-1222.
The FDA encourages the public to report cases of individuals who use e-cigarettes and have had a seizure via their online Safety Reporting Portal.
The Asbury Park Police Department (APPD) has partnered with the CFC Loud N Clear Foundation to adopt the R.I.S.E. (Recovery, Intervention, Support, and Education) Crisis Intervention Team program. Created by CFC Loud N Clear in collaboration with the Howell police department in 2016, the program has also been adopted by the police departments of Long Branch and Jackson Township.
R.I.S.E. will provide on-call services to the APPD for the purpose of responding to substance abuse related calls, arrests, and overdoses, including providing a dedicated emergency hotline number. Clients will be provided with peer support, addiction recovery resources and family engagement to provide them with the best possible outcomes. CFC’s programs assist in finding and encouraging treatment resources, documenting outcomes and providing community education and outreach, including naloxone training and recovery coach training.
“A partnership with an organization like CFC Loud N Clear makes sense for Asbury Park,” said police chief David Kelso. “It provides the resources we need to help combat the disease of addiction and help as many people in our city as possible. Our team is looking forward to working with the CFC R.I.S.E. Crisis Intervention Team program.”