Body & Mind

First death in US tied to e-cigarette use as CDC reports nearly 200 vaping-related hospitalizations

First death in US tied to e-cigarette use as CDC reports nearly 200 vaping-related hospitalizations
An individual has died after a recent hospitalization associated with severe lung disease thought to be connected to e-cigarette use
An individual has died after a recent hospitalization associated with severe lung disease thought to be connected to e-cigarette use
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An individual has died after a recent hospitalization associated with severe lung disease thought to be connected to e-cigarette use
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An individual has died after a recent hospitalization associated with severe lung disease thought to be connected to e-cigarette use

Officials from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are reporting the death of an adult with severe respiratory illness. The death is being linked to e-cigarette use, with the CDC now reporting almost 200 vaping-related cases of severe lung disease across the United States.

Hospitals across America have been reporting a wave of young people being hospitalized with acute lung problems over the past few months. The only common factor all these cases seem to share is that the patients use e-cigarettes.

No particular e-cigarette product has been found to link all the cases, although some patients have reported some recent use of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-containing products. Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed it was now involved in the ongoing investigation with 193 specific cases reported across 22 states.

“In many cases, patients reported a gradual start of symptoms including breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, and/or chest pain before hospitalization,” says the CDC in a recent statement. “Some cases reported mild to moderate gastrointestinal illness including vomiting and diarrhea and fatigue as well.”

Now, the first possible e-cigarette related death in the United States is being reported by Illinois health officials. No information as to the identity, age or gender of the deceased individual has been revealed. However, the IDPH has announced in a statement that at least 22 individuals in the state, between the ages of 17 and 38, have now been hospitalized with severe respiratory illness.

Robert Redfield, Director of the CDC, released a statement expressing the agency’s sadness at the recently reported death in Illinois. Redfield says the CDC is working with various state agencies to investigate these cases, and refers to the situation as an “ongoing outbreak”.

“This tragic death in Illinois reinforces the serious risks associated with e-cigarette products,” says Redfield. “Vaping exposes users to many different substances for which we have little information about related harms – including flavorings, nicotine, cannabinoids, and solvents. CDC has been warning about the identified and potential dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping since these devices first appeared. E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.”

11 comments
11 comments
Jose Gros-Aymerich
This reminds a case in Spain, workers making airbrushing for the company 'Ardystil', developed dyspnea, and several died, in what finally was diagnosed as Lung Fybrosis.
Besides this possibility, it's absolutely unacceptable that no tests were done before accepting 'Electronic cigarettes' accesing the market, being offered for sale, also, if products vaped are illegal drugs, contamination with chemical and biological elements is very easy, and can induce severe pulmonary disease. Salut +
TrevorX
How many of the reported lung and respiratory illnesses due to use of tobacco products has been investigated so far? So its better to back to cigarettes then? Bet the tobacco companies are smiling. I think its all about quantity you vape and the products you use in the vape. Even water is bad if you take too much.
Fast Eddie
In this single story we see the negative of the US political system. The tobacco industry develops a new drug delivery system, foists it into the market as a means to QUIT smoking, the hooks another generation of smokers.....all while giving lobbying money to politicians. Is there no one in Washington who can stop this madness?
Dizzie
I ain't no scientist but an "out-break" suggests possible product contamination rather than chronic long-term usage. Maybe somebody contaminated a batch in order to make changes to the product use. Just a thought.
Paul Muad'Dib
E-cigarettes have been around for 15 years with 10.8 million Americans using them and only 200 people have gotten sick from it?! That’s freaking amazing!
Paul Muad'Dib
I’m kind of curious as to why the CDC is not interested in what exactly poisoned this person?
Expanded Viewpoint
OK, it's not like anybody can say that they weren't adequately warned about the dangers inherent in putting toxins directly into their body, right?? How can ANYTHING that comes from a burning weed or an E-cig, be good for your body?? If the chemical high is so wonderful that it can't be refused, then suffer the consequences of your actions ALONE!! Don't be tying up hospital beds and using up other valuable resources due to your own inability to know right from wrong and keeping your emotional needs in check!! There are many others who may need to avail themselves of those resources, and if you are too selfish to keep from using them up, I have ZERO pity for you for the condition you put yourself in by your own willful actions. NOBODY ever put a gun to your head and made you smoke, drink alcohol or vape some toxins. Abuse your body at YOUR expense, not mine!!
Paul Muad'Dib
It's like saying that people die from heroin overdoses because they use syringes, so lets outlaw syringes. Syringes are a perfectly fine delivery system, it's what's in the syringe that's the problem.
Dr M D Gliksman
Medical science at its worst (if the report's accurate). No common inhalant but all the people included used e-cigarettes. How many age-matched people hospitalised with unexplained lung disease had not? How many e-cigarette users hospitalised had drunk milk? Repeat after me CDC: association is not causation.
Paul Muad'Dib
Smoking causes 1,300 deaths every day.
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