450 Cases and 6 Deaths – Vape Illness Continues to Rise
Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have received increasing reports of vaping-related illness, now totaling 450 suspected cases and six deaths across 33 states.
New Deaths Reported; Vape Illness Possibly Linked to Vitamin E Acetate
Health officials have reported the sixth death related to vaping, the first to be reported in Kansas. According to CNN, the woman was older than 50 and had a history of health problems. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment was unsure what type of vaping products she used.
Although a clear link between vaping and severe pulmonary illness is still under investigation, health officials in New York might have discovered a clue. Their investigations uncovered extremely high levels of the chemical vitamin E acetate in nearly all cannabis-containing vaping products, including each product that was submitted for testing after a person became ill. These factors have made the chemical a “key focus” of the investigation, according to the New York Department of Health.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered that the state health department issue subpoenas to three companies that market thickening agents to vape liquid manufacturers. The Wadsworth Center analyzed the thickener samples from the three companies and determined that they all contained nearly pure vitamin E acetate oil.
E-Cigarette Dangers Realized; Organizations Call For Change
Last week, the American Lung Association warned that “e-cigarettes are not safe” and that they can cause irreversible lung damage and disease.
The president of the American Medical Association (AMA) released a written statement last week, recommending “anyone who has recently used e-cigarette products to seek medical care promptly if they experience any adverse health effects, particularly coughing, shortness of breath or chest pain.”
She also urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed up the regulation of e-cigarettes, to remove all unregulated products from the market, and to ban all flavors and marketing practices that appeal to the youth.
Contact an Experienced Product Liability Attorney
If you or a loved one have suffered an injury or illness due electronic cigarettes are vape pens, contact Thomas J. Henry. Over two decades of experience handling a multitude of defective product cases and extensive legal and financial resources allow us to provide our clients with truly dynamic legal representation. Thomas J. Henry has a proven track record of achieving real results for clients devastated by recalled products.
Let us help you recover the compensation you are entitled to. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Contact us today for a free case review.
