This archive report was first published on 8 September 2019.
Outbreak of Vaping-Related Lung Illness ¶
As of September 8, 2019, hundreds of people across the US have been sickened by a severe lung illness linked to vaping, with a handful of deaths reported.
According to public health officials, many of those affected were otherwise healthy young people in their teens or early 20s.
Investigators from numerous states are working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine the cause of the illness.
Who is at Risk? ¶
Anyone who uses e-cigarettes or other vaping devices, whether to consume nicotine or substances extracted from marijuana or hemp, may be at risk.
The FDA has warned that there appears to be a particular danger for people who vape THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana.
The agency has stated that consumers cannot be sure whether any THC vaping products may contain vitamin E acetate, and are urging people to avoid buying vaping products on the street and to refrain from using THC oil or modifying/adding any substances to products purchased in stores.
What are the Symptoms? ¶
The early symptoms of the illness include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, coughing, and fever, escalating to shortness of breath, which can become so extreme it can prompt an emergency room visit or require hospitalization.
Some patients have needed supplementary oxygen, including a ventilator in as many as a third of cases analyzed in The New England Journal of Medicine.
What's the Best Way to Prevent the Illness? ¶
Health officials say that the riskiest behavior is using vaping products bought on the street instead of from a retailer, or those that have been tampered with or mixed.
They are urging people to think twice before purchasing vaping products off the street or modifying them themselves.
What Should I Do if I Think I Have the Lung Illness? ¶
The CDC says that if you are concerned about your health or the health of a loved one who is using an e-cigarette product, contact your health care provider, or your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
Anyone who has shortness of breath that lasts more than a few hours or becomes severe should seek medical attention quickly.
