The Elf Bar can cause nicotine poisoning: the nicotine content of the smallest product with 800 puffs is equivalent to 3-4 packs of traditional cigarettes, so its use can easily lead to a nicotine overdose, the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition (OGYÉI) told MTI on Friday.
According to the announcement of the OGYÉI, the results of the investigation will also be confirmed by the National Center for Public Health (NKK).
The institute carried out laboratory tests of 25 types of Elf Bar, and the results show that the amount of nicotine in some products is higher than the 50 mg/ml or 20 mg/ml indicated on the packaging, but in most cases, it exceeds – not infrequently more than 20 percent – the 20 mg/ml allowed by domestic legislation.
Furthermore, nicotine can be detected in small amounts even in devices called nicotine-free. Most of the additional compounds identified in the products are flavoring substances, but their ingredients are not named on the label, it reads.
It was pointed out that Elf Bar is not available in the legal supply system in Hungary, and anyone who buys such products elsewhere, for example on the Internet, always chooses an illegal form.
The lack of instructions for use and consumer information in Hungarian is also a danger, and the originality of the contents of the box is not guaranteed. In addition to all of this, the elements and batteries necessary for their operation are classified as environmentally polluting hazardous waste – they wrote.
According to OGYÉI, with the start of the school year, the popularity of the Elf Bar, which can be ordered with various flavors, is expected to increase and its use will continue to spread among the most vulnerable age groups.
The pleasant taste and the fact that e-cigarettes have no telltale odor compared to traditional cigarettes increase the willingness to try the product three times.
It is extremely important that parents and teachers recognize the product and talk to children about its risks: these nicotine-containing devices combined with flavoring substances can greatly contribute to the development and maintenance of nicotine addiction in young people and can cause other acute and chronic health-damaging effects, they pointed out.
OGYÉI has summarized the most important information on e-cigarettes on its website, which is available at ogyei.gov.hu/elektronikus_cigaretta_attores_vagy_fabol_vaskarika.
In the announcement, it was also mentioned that the Health Toxicology and Information Service was already informed of numerous cases of nicotine poisoning and poisoning related to e-cigarettes last year, and this year there was also a case of poisoning that was specifically related to the Elf Bar product and required hospital care.
The most common symptoms of nicotine poisoning are nausea and vomiting, but headaches, dizziness, confusion, heart rhythm disorders, increased blood pressure, loss of appetite, and fatigue may also occur.
If you feel unwell, consult a doctor immediately, or if you are unsure, call the Health Toxicology and Information Service at NNK at +3680/201-199.
More information can be requested on the Healthline, which is continuously available at 1812 and can be called free of charge.
Photo: illustration.
