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Can vaping be deadly? It would appear so, after an outbreak of lung disease unexpectedly hit the United States in the past few weeks. As of Tuesday, Sept. 10, six people have died from lung issues related to vaping, health officials announced. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified more than 450 possible similar cases in 33 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The tally keeps increasing as the investigation is ongoing.
“While the investigation is ongoing, the CDC has advised that individuals consider not using e-cigarettes, because as of now, this is the primary means of preventing the severe lung disease,” Dana Meaney-Delman of the CDC told Business Insider.
According to health officials, no evidence of infectious diseases has been identified, which seems to indicate that the illness is likely caused by chemical exposure. Patients exhibit similar symptoms: a substance denser than air gets stuck in the lungs, causing cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue and more. The symptoms developed over the course of a few days to a few weeks.
Is THC to Blame?
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis, has been quickly linked to the outbreak, as several patients reported vaping products containing cannabinoids, THC in particular. Even now, the CDC recommends avoiding “e-cigarette products with THC or other cannabinoids” specifically, mirroring the Food and Drug Administration’s claim that “consumers can help protect themselves by avoiding THC-containing vaping products.”
This is partly linked to the fact that at least one of the victims, a senior Minnesota resident, died after vaping illicit THC products. However, a single cause hasn’t been determined, and a significant portion of the patients who contracted the disease reportedly didn’t vape THC. Out of 53 patients in Wisconsin and Illinois questioned during the investigation, 80% reported having vaped THC, whereas 17% reported using nicotine-containing products only. Even among the subset of patients who used THC products, many different brands and devices were used.
“Many of the samples tested by the states or by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been identified as vaping products containing THC, and further, most of those samples with THC tested also contained significant amounts of Vitamin E acetate,” the FDA declared. Vitamin E acetate is a thickening agent popular in THC vaping products. “Vitamin E acetate is a substance present in topical consumer products or dietary supplements, but data are limited about its effects after inhalation. Because consumers cannot be sure whether any THC vaping products may contain Vitamin E acetate, consumers are urged to avoid buying vaping products on the street.”
It is unclear whether Vitamin E acetate is really responsible, if THC or all forms of vaping can induce this illness or even if it is limited to unofficial products. It could be due to illicit products that were tampered with or to a legal, poorly regulated substance like Vitamin E acetate. As the investigation continues, the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, issued subpoenas to three companies selling thickening agents, as laboratory tests have shown “very high levels of Vitamin E acetate in nearly all cannabis-containing samples analyzed.”
