THE US Food and Drug Administration is investigating reports of several people suffering seizures immediately after vaping.
Seen as a healthy alternative to smoking, e-cigarettes has come under the microscope in recent months.
Several new studies have highlighted the fact any potential side effects remain, as yet, unknown and that the practice may be doing more harm than good.
Now the FDA has decided to alert the public to the potential new risk after identifying 35 cases of people suffering seizures after vaping.
The cases were recorded between 2010 and early 2019 and were found to be more common among younger users.
The FDA also noted a "slight but noticeable increase in reports of seizures" since June.
All of the reports were submitted voluntarily to the FDA or poison control centres.
Despite the announcement the FDA was keen to stress no definitive link between vaping and seizures had been confirmed yet.
The FDA did note that seizures are a known possible side effect of nicotine poisoning.
"We know that nicotine isn't a harmless substance, especially in the developing brains of our youth," FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb and Principal Deputy Commissioner Dr. Amy Abernethy said in the statement.
"But we've also been clear that, even for adults, e-cigarettes are not risk free."
“While we believe that currently addicted adult smokers who completely switch off of combustible tobacco and onto e-cigarettes have the potential to improve their health, e-cigarettes still pose health risks.
“These include the possible release of some chemicals at higher levels than conventional cigarettes. We’ve also seen data that indicate there may be other potential health concerns.
“We recognize that in many areas, more information is needed to assess whether there are additional consequences to nicotine use, especially from the use of e-cigarettes, some of which deliver high concentrations of nicotine.”
The FDA is now looking into additional potential health risks like whether e-cigarattes may cause cancer in the airways down the line, according to the statement.
