FDA probes dangers of exploding e-cigarette batteries
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is probing the dangers of exploding batteries in e-cigarettes, following dozens of reports of devices that have combusted, overheated or caught fire and sometimes injured users.
The agency announced a two-day public meeting for April, according to an online posting.
The Associated Press reported last month that 66 explosions were identified by the FDA in 2015 and early 2016.
E-cigarettes are hand-held devices that vaporize liquid nicotine. Their safety has not been extensively studied and there’s no scientific consensus on whether they help reduce rates of cigarette smoking.