Three people have now died from lung disease after vaping

Two deaths in the US have now been attributed to vaping-related lung conditions, and state governments are taking actions to crack down on the types of e-cigarettes available. Here's what you need to know about this mysterious illness and the response to the outbreak.

How did these deaths occur?

In July, an Illinois resident developed a lung infection and died after using a vaping device that contained marijuana oil. Yesterday, officials in Oregon said that a resident of the state who used e-cigarettes had also died after being hospitalised for a severe lung infection. It's not clear why these respiratory problems led to the people's deaths. It could be that something either in the e-cigarette or the substances smoked through them caused serious inflammation of the lungs.

Has anyone else got ill from vaping?

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that as of 27 August, 215 possible cases of vaping-related severe lung disease have been reported by 25 states. In addition to the deaths in Illinois and Oregon, this multistate outbreak includes people who have reported coughs, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. These symptoms developed over days or weeks. Some people turn up to hospital with symptoms that look like pneumonia, and have been put on ventilators or treated in intensive care units.

Do we know whether these symptoms are caused by vaping?

We're not certain, but there could be a connection. In every one of these cases, people reported using e-cigarettes. But no single e-cigarette product or substance has been associated with all the illnesses. The CDC says that recent inhalation of cannabis products and THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana, has been reported in many patients from two states.

Ann Thomas, a public health physician in Oregon, said in a statement that we don't yet know the exact cause of these illnesses, or whether they're due to contaminants, to ingredients in the liquid used in e-cigarettes, or to the devices themselves.

One potential cause has been identified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to reports in the Washington Post. An oil derived from vitamin E was found in nearly all cannabis samples from people who fell ill in New York. But that oil wasn't found in tests of the nicotine products that had been used by others who also had lung problems after vaping.

So, are e-cigarettes dangerous?

We simply don't know. Some research has shown that vaping is less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes, but using e-cigarettes still carries a risk. "Vaping exposes users to many different substances for which we have little information about related harms - including flavourings, nicotine, cannabinoids, and solvents," said CDC Director Robert Redfield in a statement.

The CDC also issued a warning to the public not to buy e-cigarette products off the street, and not to modify the devices.

What is happening now?

Public health departments in some states are urging people to stop using any kind of vaping device immediately. On 4 September, Michigan became the first US state to ban flavoured e-cigarettes. The state's governor ordered the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to ban the sale of flavoured nicotine vaping products in stores and online, as well as ban the marketing of vaping products as clean, safe or healthy.

These flavoured options are marketed heavily to young people, who are increasingly using e-cigarettes. The FDA found in 2018 that vaping increased 78 per cent from 2017 to 2018 among high school students, and 48 per cent among middle school students.

UPDATE: The state of Indiana confirmed on Friday that a third person over the age of 18 had died from a severe lung injury linked to a history of vaping. The state says it is investigating a total of 30 cases of lung disease linked to vaping.

Reader Comments

MYB506 · 2019-09-07T12:59:23Z

Sounds odd to me that all of a sudden people are getting ill from vaping when people have been vaping for many years now.

sottreader · 2019-09-07T13:36:29Z

MYB506 Formulations change (i.e., they look for cheaper ways to make a product), flavors/additives are increasing, and, probably most important, the smaller operations of the past are being rapidly overtaken by larger companies that source their products from China and/or other 3rd world countries, which probably pay far less attention to quality, purity, quality control, etc. in most of their exports.

Ned Ludd · 2019-09-07T17:08:02Z

Three? Oh My God. Let us all panic. How many have died from eating Cheerios?

By the way, was a full autopsy undertaken? Release the results for critical inspection. Making lying claims like this without forensic evidence is typical of the fake-news media. Back it up or shut up.

Rotten apple · 2019-09-07T18:56:52Z

Someones behind demonizing this obviously. Cancer causing glyphosate is in everything....wheres the panic about that? Plastic is raining from the skys...

Radio active chit from fukashima has been pouring into the the Pacific for the last 10 years....no panic.

BUT VAPING! now we have to declare war on that.

sottreader · 2019-09-07T21:06:42Z

Rotten apple Of course we have to declare war on it!

Two reasons: First, it cuts into the profits of the tobacco companies, who, BTW, provide lots of "campaign contributions"/bribes to politicians at all levels. And, second, if vaping really catches on big, it will deprive gov'ts primarily at the state and local levels of lots and lots of tax revenue.

Thus the motivations to 1) make it less likely to supplant smoking via scaring people and/or 2) establish lots of controls over it so that it can be taxed just like tobacco products.

Dus7 · 2019-09-08T18:09:05Z

No doubt three people who write anti-vaping pieces have died from lung disease, too. Ridiculous.

Rick Pisces · 2019-09-08T19:49:08Z

Personal Experience : I have had a medical marijuana in Arizona for 4 years. I do not care for the smoking of leaf in the traditional way and tried vaping last year. It is certainly convenient; no match or flame required to get it going. You can take it anywhere. After 2 or 3 months of vaping, I noticed that I was developing an unusual, shallow cough and a new pain that was in the exact center of my chest, right where you would expect to find your 4th chakra or heart center. I did some research and found some more in-depth studies, analyzing the smoke, etc. I think the researchers were somewhere in Pennsylvania, but I tend to forget details like this. They found that the heating coils were releasing heavy metal ions into the smoke. It didn't matter what was in the oil being "vaped". Manufacturers tried using porcelain coils, but this apparently presupposed people to cancer. After reading about all this, I stopped the vaping and the cough and chest pain went away in just a few days. I have since found that a drop of cannabis oil concentrate works better than anything else I've tried and seems to have no side effects.

I have an artist friend with a similar experience. She uses oils in her work and already has elevated cadmium ions in her system, as can be diagnosed with hair diagnosis. Cadmium makes the red paint red. She stopped her vaping like I did and noticed her cough went away. People who are exposed to heavy metals in their daily life are probably more susceptible to vaping problems than people who spend all day outdoors in a natural environment. Notice that there were no allowances for lifestyle in the story above. Say what you want about the profiteering, but forewarned is forearmed.

Bezel Bub · 2019-09-08T20:18:42Z

Rick Pisces I wish they would just legalize it already here in AZ. I tried the MMJ for one year, but the cost is ridiculous, not to mention all the hoops you have to jump through...maybe Ill just move back to Colorado