Reported by KOMO News Monday, September 16th 2019
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Two new cases of severe vaping-related lung disease have been confirmed in Washington state, health officials said Monday.
The two new cases, both in Spokane County, are a teenager and a patient in his or her 20s, according to the officials with the state Department of Health.
Additional critical facts from the article:
Nationwide, more than 450 people have been diagnosed with severe vaping-related lung illness, and at least six of them have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Serious lung illness has been reported in people who use a variety of e-cigarette and vape devices and products, including THC- and CBD-containing products as well as nicotine-containing products. The cause or causes of this outbreak remain unknown at this time.
More Information
The CDC classifies this as an “outbreak” of severe lung disease and continues to investigate a potential common cause or causes. It creates a “case definition” to identify confirmed and probable cases common to vaping lung illness, including this important information:
All patients have a reported history of e-cigarette product use, and no consistent evidence of an infectious etiology has been discovered. Therefore, the suspected cause is a chemical exposure. The type, extent, and severity of any chemical-related illness might depend on multiple factors including the chemical to which the user was exposed; chemical changes associated with heating, dose, frequency, and duration of exposure; product delivery methods; and behaviors and medical conditions of the user. The specific behaviors and exposures of identified patients have varied. Most have reported a history of using e-cigarette products containing cannabinoids such as THC, some have reported the use of e-cigarette products containing only nicotine, and others have reported using both. No consistent e-cigarette product, substance, or additive has been identified in all cases, nor has any one product or substance been conclusively linked to pulmonary disease in patients.
Contact us here or email Andrew Ackley with any questions about vaping cases.
Source:https://komonews.com/news/local/2-new-cases-of-vaping-rel