In the United States, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 immediately when nicotine poisoning or e-liquid exposure may have occurred.
Call 911 if the person has trouble breathing, has a seizure, collapses, or cannot wake. Do not wait for symptoms before calling Poison Control.
These U.S. instructions and contact details were verified on August 8, 2026. Outside the United States, call your local poison center or emergency service.
Nicotine Poisoning Can Develop Quickly
Nicotine is a toxic chemical that affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Poisoning can occur after inhalation, swallowing, skin contact, or eye exposure (CDC, 2025).
CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health describes an early stimulation phase and a later depression phase. Some people may show only later effects (CDC/NIOSH, 2011).
Do not use a dose table to decide whether an exposure is safe. Product concentration, amount, route, timing, age, weight, and symptoms all affect the response.
Poison Control reviews those details for each case. Its phone and online services are free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day (Poison Control, 2026).
Early and Serious Poisoning Signs
Early nicotine poisoning can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, excess saliva, sweating, headache, dizziness, confusion, agitation, and restlessness. Heart rate and blood pressure can rise during this phase (CDC/NIOSH, 2011).
More severe poisoning can cause weakness, abnormal heart rhythms, low blood pressure, a slow heart rate, seizures, breathing failure, or coma. These effects need urgent medical care (CDC/NIOSH, 2011).
Symptoms can overlap with less serious problems. Do not use that overlap to dismiss a known or suspected exposure.
Our guides about dizziness or nausea after vaping and headaches after vaping cover symptom triage. This guide owns acute poison response.
What to Do by Exposure Route
Swallowed e-liquid
Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 immediately. The FDA says to call for any person who drinks e-liquid, even when the exposure is uncertain (FDA, 2024).
Do not induce vomiting. Do not give activated charcoal. Wait for instructions from the poison expert (CDC/NIOSH, 2011).
E-liquid on skin
Remove clothing that touched the liquid. Wash the exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water (FDA, 2024).
Call Poison Control when symptoms occur or the amount is uncertain. Nicotine can be absorbed through skin and cause systemic effects (CDC/NIOSH, 2011).
E-liquid in the eyes
Rinse the eyes thoroughly with water. Seek medical attention if vision changes occur (FDA, 2024).
Call Poison Control for case-specific instructions. Do not put medicine or another liquid in the eye unless a clinician directs it.
Excessive inhalation
Stop the exposure and move to fresh air if you can do so safely. Call Poison Control when poisoning is possible.
Call 911 for breathing trouble, a seizure, collapse, or inability to wake. CDC/NIOSH directs callers to emergency services for those signs (CDC/NIOSH, 2011).
Information to Have Ready
Keep the product container nearby when you call. Do not handle leaking liquid with bare skin.
Be ready to give the poison expert:
- The person's age and approximate weight.
- Known health conditions.
- The product name and labeled nicotine concentration.
- The exposure route.
- The time of exposure.
- Current symptoms and whether vomiting occurred.
- Any first aid already given.
Do not guess when a detail is unknown. Say that it is unknown. The label units are explained in our nicotine strength chart, but the chart cannot assess poisoning.
The detection window is also a different question. Read how long nicotine stays in the body for testing information.
What Not to Do
Do not use a lethal-dose chart. Do not induce vomiting, give activated charcoal, or try a home remedy.
Do not wait for symptoms after a child may have touched or swallowed e-liquid. The FDA advises calling Poison Control even when exposure is not certain (FDA, 2024).
Do not resume vaping to test whether symptoms return. Stop the suspected exposure and follow expert instructions.
Prevent Another Exposure
Store e-liquid in its original container. Lock the cap and keep the product out of children's and pets' sight and reach (FDA, 2024).
Clean spills immediately with soap and water while avoiding skin and eye contact. Save Poison Control's U.S. number, 1-800-222-1222, in your phone.
Our vape juice storage guide covers routine storage. The guide to what is in vape juice explains common ingredients without estimating toxicity.