WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC are investigating the incidents of severe respiratory disease linked with the use of e-cigarette products, with about 215 cases reported from 25 states.
Vaping, which refers to the use of electronic cigarettes, has been on the rise ever since its introduction in the U.S. in 2007. Although vaping is said to be less harmful than regular tobacco cigarettes, it is still bad for health. Health officials are also concerned about the rising use of e-cigarettes among youth in the country.
Vaping claimed its first victim in the U.S., with the Illinois Department of Public Health reporting the death of an Illinois resident who had recently vaped and was hospitalized with severe respiratory illness.
'We are working closely with state and local health officials to investigate these incidents as quickly as possible, and we are committed to taking appropriate actions as a clearer picture of the facts emerges,' Norman 'Ned' Sharpless, Acting FDA Commissioner said.
The FDA noted that while some cases in each of the states were similar and appear to be linked to e-cigarette product use, more information was required to identify the cause of the respiratory illnesses.
No single product appeared to be involved in all of the cases, although the use of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC and cannabinoids were reported in many cases. Many patients have acknowledged they recently used THC-containing e-cigarette products.
With the FDA's assistance, the CDC is helping states to investigate whether the illnesses may be linked to specific devices, ingredients in the devices, or substances associated with e-cigarette product use.
The FDA is analyzing about 80 samples it has received from states to identify whether they contain nicotine, THC or other cannabinoids, or other chemicals and ingredients. The agency will share the results of the testing with the states to aid in their investigations.
Meanwhile, the CDC has issued a Health Alert Network or HAN Health Advisory, urging people concerned about specific health risks to refrain from using e-cigarette products amid the ongoing investigation.
The CDC warned people using e-cigarette products against buying these products off the street or modifying them to add substances that are not intended by the manufacturer.
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