Many headlines have appeared in recent weeks about a spate of deaths among vapers in the United States. Some news agencies have seized on the reports as ‘confirmation’ that vaping is as dangerous as smoking.
However, an investigation by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed crucial information about those who have succumbed to the lung disease.
The facts
A total of 1,604 cases of lung injuries suffered by those using electronic cigarettes were investigated by the CDC. Nearly two-thirds of those individuals (63%) had restricted their e-liquid use to those containing tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC. This is the active ingredient in marijuana. Just 16% of those questioned by the CDC said they had only used e-liquids containing nicotine.
While those figures do not confirm that all cases of the condition were triggered by vaping THC, it’s clear that most were. The CDC also discovered that of the 34 people who have lost their lives to the condition, 84% of them were confirmed to have vaped e-liquids with THC in them in a three-month period prior to death.
EVALI
This term has only started cropping up recently. It is the acronym given to the condition, standing for E-cigarette or Vaping product use Associated Lung Injury, where the capitals denote the parts of the acronym. Research thus far suggests it may be a form of lipoid pneumonia. This occurs when a lipid enters the lungs. It appears that some e-liquids may contain oils that were not intended to be vaped.
We will keep you updated with any further developments concerning the situation in the US. For now, do you have any opinions or beliefs surrounding the situation? Let us know by leaving your comment below to share your thoughts.
