Health officials in Illinois declared the death of a patient who was suffering from severe lung disease due to vaping. It might be the first death in the United States due to vaping that has become popular in teenagers and young adults.
The Illinois Department of Public Health did not declare the name, hometown, or gender of the patient. Dr. Jennifer Layden, the chief medical officer in the Illinois agency, received the death report on Thursday.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 193 individuals in 22 states are suffering from severe respiratory disorders due to vaping, although the common cause is not recognized.
People who are suffering from respiratory illnesses are mostly teenagers and adults, who had used e-cigarettes or a certain type of vaping device.
The cases of these respiratory illnesses were observed from late June. However, the total count has increased pretty fast last week.
On Friday, health officials accords the country have reported two cases in Connecticut, six in Ohio, and four in Iowa. They were requesting doctors and hospitals around the country to share about any probable cases of lung disease associated with vaping with health officials in the state.
“The severity of illness people are experiencing is alarming and we must get the word out that using e-cigarettes and vaping can be dangerous,” said IDPH Director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike.
Although e-cigarettes carry lower risk than usual cigarettes, the health officials are concerned about its usage by kids, as the nicotine present in these e-cigarettes is not good for developing brains.
According to experts, certain vaping devices were found to contain other potentially hazardous chemicals and oils used for vaping marijuana.
Several individuals who suffered from respiratory illnesses had used products consisting of THC.
An advocacy group named the American Vaping Association delivered a statement disagreeing that “tainted, black market THC products” are to blame. During a telephonic conversation with reporters, Ilena Arias, a CDC official who looks after non-infectious diseases, commented, “Investigators haven’t identified any specific product or compound that is linked to all of the cases.” She also added that individuals suffering from different respiratory illness might observe related symptoms.
