Sixth Person Dies From Vaping-Related Illness – Here’s What You Need To Know
Sixth Person Dies From Vaping-Related Illness – Here’s What You Need To Know
The death marks the first in the state but raises even more concern about the safety and regulation of e-cigarettes.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and state health departments have started to investigate the recent outbreak. Health officials say they haven’t found a definitive cause or a clear connection between cases, but some are zeroing in on potential clues.
Here is what you need to know about vaping and vaping-related illnesses. We will also link some of our older articles about this topic.
What are the stats?
Before the death in Kansas, five deaths were reported in California, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Oregon.
What’s causing the illnesses?
There are also separate investigations being conducted in separate states.
Laboratory tests conducted at the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center in Albany showed “very high levels” of vitamin E acetate in the cannabis-containing samples, the state health department announced.
Vitamin E acetate is now “a key focus” of the state’s investigation into the illnesses, the New York Department of Health said.
What does the CDC say?
The CDC says e-cigarettes should never be used by youth, young adults, pregnant women or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.
“If you or a loved one is vaping, please stop. The recent deaths across our country, combined with hundreds of reported lung injury cases continue to intensify. I’m extremely alarmed for the health and safety of Kansans who are using vaping products and urge them to stop until we can determine the cause of vaping related lung injuries and death,” Norman said.
“No one should use e-cigarettes or any other tobacco product. This message is even more urgent today following the increasing reports of vaping-related illnesses and deaths nationwide,” Harold Wimmer, national president and CEO of the association, said in a written statement.
The American Medical Association recently urged the public to avoid the use of e-cigarette products until health officials further investigate and understand the cause of the outbreak.