American Vaping Association Releases Facts on Vaping-Related Lung Illnesses

On September 10, the American Vaping Association released facts regarding lung diseases and deaths related to vaping.

As of September 6, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported over 450 cases of severe lung disease associated with the use of "e-cigarettes." Among these cases, three types of lung injuries were observed: lipoid pneumonia, pulmonary hemorrhage, and idiopathic organizing pneumonia.

Five deaths have been reported.

Illinois (reported August 23) - No details available.

Oregon (September 5) - A middle-aged patient purchased THC oil from a legal pharmacy but could not guarantee that he did not use illegal THC cartridges.

Indiana (September 6) - No details available.

Minnesota (reported September 6) - A patient over 65 years old was found to have illegal THC products.

Los Angeles, California (September 6) - No details available, but according to the "Los Angeles Times," "almost all of the 12 hospitalized in Los Angeles County had used THC."

Should nicotine e-cigarette users and smokers be concerned?

In short, no. Evidence continues to indicate that poorly manufactured street e-cigarettes containing tetrahydrocannabinol or other substances are to blame for these diseases.

Nicotine e-cigarette products purchased in stores should not be used to quit or reduce smoking, thus avoiding adult smokers. No one should be misled into thinking that relapsing to smoking is better than continuing to use e-cigarettes.

What did the tests find?<\/strong>

On September 5, the New York State Department of Health reported that laboratory test results showed that "almost all samples containing cannabis had very high levels of vitamin E acetate." For each patient who submitted products, at least one cartridge contained vitamin E acetate, which is used as a thickening agent in illegal cartridges.

On September 6, Mitch Zeller from the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products stated at a CDC press conference, "We will continue to evaluate the results shown; no single substance or compound, including vitamin E acetate, has been identified in all tested samples."

According to the "Washington Post," the FDA notified state health officials on September 4 that its laboratory tests found nothing unusual in the nicotine products tested. The FDA has not publicly disclosed this matter.

Does the FDA believe nicotine vapor products should be blamed?

Although the CDC has urged all Americans to consider not purchasing products from the street rather than e-cigarette products, the agency has been criticized for not clearly stating the dangers of illegal THC products (including us).

Hours after the CDC held a press conference on September 6, the FDA and CDC "broke" and issued a warning, specifically warning about THC products.

On Twitter, CNBC reporter Angelica LaVito pointed out the apparent differences between the warnings issued by the CDC and the FDA, prompting a response from former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.

Are teenagers misreporting their THC use?<\/strong>

In every state that has released detailed data, the vast majority of patients or all affected patients reported using illegal THC products. Nevertheless, CDC officials and public health advocates continue to rely on a few patients who only reported using nicotine to justify issuing a general warning against using anything. 【Please credit Blue Hole New Consumption】

Dr. Melodi Pirzada, a lung specialist at NYU Langone Hospital, treated two patients with THC and told reporter Foster Winans about a case involving an 18-year-old male. "We did a million dollars worth of tests and couldn't figure out what caused it. He denied it until his family found a cartridge in his bedroom. It contained cannabis oil. Then we learned that his symptoms began when he started using it."

Lena Sun of the Washington Post has spoken with many state health officials and doctors who treated patients, similarly reporting that "doctors say patients, especially teenagers, are often reluctant to admit whether they have used cannabis products."

"Not everyone reports using THC oil," said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. "We cannot say whether this is because they are afraid to admit it or because they have never used it."

Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level and in most states. Because patients tend to be young (the average age of patients in Illinois and Wisconsin is 19), concerns about parental or police involvement may lead some or all patients to not disclose the full extent of their vaping activities.

What are national and local health departments saying?<\/strong>

New York: As of September 6, 2019, the New York State Department of Health claimed to have received 38 reports of severe lung disease patients from New York State doctors, with patients aged 15 to 46 using at least one cannabis-containing e-cigarette product before becoming ill. The department specifically warned about "lung diseases associated with black market e-cigarette products."

Wisconsin: At the end of August, Wisconsin reported that 89% (27/24) of their cases involved patients with asthma. As of September 5, Wisconsin reported 34 cases and issued a specific warning: "We urge the public to avoid using any THC products."

Los Angeles County, California: According to the "Los Angeles Times" on September 6, "almost all" reported cases in Los Angeles County involved tetrahydrocannabinol, and the Los Angeles County Health Department issued a general warning against vaping any substances.

Kings County, California: In August, the Kings County Health Department issued a warning after seven cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome, advising against vaping THC or CBD oil. As of September 5, this number had risen to nine.

New Mexico: On August 29, the New Mexico Department of Health reported eight male patients, all of whom reported using THC cartridges. Therefore, the health department issued a specific warning against vaping THC.