Organophosphates? Sarin? Russian Nerve Agent? No- Liquid Nicotine!

Since nicotine is so poisonous and tends to be ignored by forensic laboratories, as it occurs in so many cases involving smokers, it has been used in homicide and suicide cases undetected. Liquid nicotine poisoning is also responsible for many cases of accidental nicotine poisoning in children, now that it is readily available at high concentrations as a candy-flavoured e-liquid. The attractive flavours and colourful packaging of these products can easily lure young children who mistake them for juice or candy.

Prior to e-liquids, nicotine had to be produced in a slow, cumbersome way by extracting it from cigarettes. Today, concentrated liquid nicotine is widely available in bottles that can contain a lethal dose for multiple children or adults. A single bottle of high-concentration e-liquid can contain enough nicotine to kill several toddlers, yet these products remain legally available with minimal regulation in many jurisdictions.

A fatal dose of nicotine for an adult is approximately 60 milligrams. To put this in perspective, it takes over 3,500 times more alcohol by weight to reach a lethal dose.

A truly chilling case from my forensic files illustrates the deadly potential of this substance.

A man and his ex-wife agreed to meet in a busy park so that he could spend time with their 2 children in a public space. The wife felt it odd that he had brought water guns for the kids to play with. While she sat on the park bench, the ex-husband played with the children squirting them with water. The presence of water guns in a public park seemed innocent enough at first glance.

He left for a short time in the public bathroom. When he emerged, he sprayed his ex with the water gun and splashed her with a sticky yellow liquid from a bottle. She began to feel sick almost immediately, started choking and vomiting, was dizzy and unable to stand up and began to lose consciousness. The rapid onset of these severe symptoms alarmed everyone present at the park that day.

After a 911 call she was transported to hospital where the doctors felt she was exposed to a nerve agent or organophosphate pesticide poison. Her condition deteriorated and she nearly died.

As such, the Hazmat team was called to the busy park to ensure the public was not exposed to possible toxic agents. Emergency responders cordoned off the area and began testing for chemical weapons, concerned that a public space had been contaminated with dangerous substances.

A urine sample collected from the ex-wife showed a nicotine metabolite, cotinine, at a concentration of nearly 10X that found in heavy smokers. This laboratory finding was the key that unlocked the mystery of what had actually happened in the park that day. The doctors who treated her said they were not surprised as nicotine has symptoms similar to organophosphate poisoning. Both substances overstimulate the nervous system, causing a cascade of life-threatening effects.

The ex-husband was charged with second degree attempted murder and second degree assault using a poisonous substance. The charges reflected the seriousness of using concentrated nicotine as a weapon in a public place where children were present. Unfortunately during trial evidentiary issues arose and the charges were dismissed, leaving the victim without justice despite the clear forensic evidence of liquid nicotine poisoning.

This case demonstrates how nicotine poisoning can be mistaken for exposure to chemical weapons like sarin or organophosphate pesticides. The symptoms are nearly identical, and the consequences can be just as deadly. With concentrated liquid nicotine now widely available in candy-flavoured e-liquids, the potential for accidental poisoning in children and intentional nicotine poisoning in adults remains a serious public health concern. Parents, healthcare providers, and law enforcement must all be aware that liquid nicotine is not a harmless consumer product but a potent poison deserving of respect and caution.

Reference

Officials: Poison Use in Attempted Murder was Liquid Nicotine