Move Over, Cigarettes: Vapes Now the Leading Nicotine Danger for Kids

MONDAY, April 6, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For decades, cigarettes in American homes were the bane of child health experts. 

But as their use has plummeted, a new foe has emerged: Vaping.

Looking at more than 92,000 U.S. poison control center reports of "nicotine exposures" in kids under the age of 6, researchers found that exposures from cigarettes and other traditional tobacco products dropped by 43% between 2016 and 2023.

At the same time, dangerous exposures from vapes soared 243%, according to a team from Rutgers University in New Jersey. 

Young kids who ingest a vaping product are also facing much higher health risks than those who play with or eat tobacco, the researchers noted.