The Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health is taking legal action against more that 20 e-cigarette companies for failing to put warning labels on their products.
Less than two weeks ago, California health officials issued a report saying e-cigarettes contain at least 10 dangerous chemicals, including benzene and formaldehyde.
The nonprofit Center for Environmental Health says the products’ addictive ingredient, nicotine, poses serious reproductive health hazards. Under state law, products that carry such risks must have warning labels.
The Center’s Charles Margulis said consumers have a right to know.
“We purchased more than 40 products that are e-cigarettes and other vaping products, e-liquids and those sorts of things, and none of them carried the proper warning label. Some of them didn’t carry any health warning labels at all," Margulis said.
E-cigarette makers contend their products are safe, and can be used to help people quit smoking.
The e-cigarette industry in the U.S. is valued at an estimated $1.4 billion. Sales are projected to increase by 24.2 percent annually through 2018.
