Vaping related illnesses have risen despite warnings from government officials that people should refrain from using e-cigarettes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday that 1,299 people have become ill from vaping and 26 others have died.
The vast majority of patients are male and under the age of 35. The youngest person to die was 17.
Health officials have been warning the public since August not to vape, though in recent weeks they have stressed that people should “particularly” avoid vaping THC, the high-causing chemical in marijuana. CDC data show that 76% of 573 people who fell ill were vaping THC, but 13% still report they only used devices with nicotine.
The illness can become very severe, resulting in symptoms of chest pain, difficulty breathing, and nausea, and sending patients to the hospital for intensive care.
Members of Congress have called on the Trump administration to get much tougher on e-cigarettes amid the most recent outbreak and also following data showing that more teenagers are using e-cigarettes.
The Food and Drug Administration intends to ban flavored e-cigarettes from the market in the coming months, citing both teen use and the mysterious lung illness outbreak. Other states are moving to ban them even sooner.
Defenders of e-cigarettes say regulators shouldn’t be so quick to go after e-cigarette flavors, and that Congress should instead focus on dealing with THC, which is largely unregulated. They worry people will turn to regular cigarettes if they don’t have the option of using a device that tastes nothing like tobacco.
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