CDC Investigates Lung Illness Outbreak Related to Vaping

E-cigarettes have been around for nearly a decade but have experienced a massive surge in popularity in recent years. Vaping rates among the adolescent and teenage population, in particular, have skyrocketed. This is partly due to vaping being sold as a safer alternative to smoking as well as a marketing push by the e-cigarette industry targeted toward the youth.¹

The vaping brand JUUL marketed its sleekly designed e-cigarette using extensive campaigns on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. This led to the brand’s exponential growth in a short 3-year period with JUUL’s sales in recent years accounting for around 40% of e-cigarette retail market share.²

The marketing of vaping to teens and young adults has been controversial for some time, but the increasing rates of vaping among the youth continued to grow. Due to a series of controversies and a growing number of vapers developing severe lung disease, that might change.

A National Outbreak of Vaping-Related Severe Lung Illnesses

While the potential dangers of e-cigarettes and negative effects of vaping on the lungs have often been brought up, it wasn’t until summer 2019 that the discussion has been brought into the spotlight. After a nationwide outbreak of vaping-related hospitalizations, the debate on the safety of these products has garnered both national and international attention.

Dozens of hospitalizations due to lung illnesses associated with using e-cigarettes in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin sparked this crisis. The first death from severe respiratory illness linked to vaping was reported in Illinois in August.³ As of September 10^th, six people have died due to a severe lung disease reportedly related to vaping.⁴ Victims diagnosed with vaping-related severe lung illnesses have varied in ages as both teens and adults have been hospitalized.

Patients suffered from the following symptoms:

Shortness of Breath
Fever
Cough
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Headache
Dizziness
Chest Pain
Abdominal Pain

Since their symptoms were similar to pneumonia, some hospitals had tried treating patients with antibiotics without success. After doctors and healthcare providers investigated further, they found that all the patients had a history of vaping.

While an ongoing federal investigation has not identified a cause for this outbreak of severe lung illness, there seems to be a strong association with vaping. All reported cases have indicated the use of e-cigarette with many patients reported to have vaped nicotine, THC, and other cannabis-based products.

The CDC Investigates Link Between Vaping And The Outbreak

As of September 6^th, over 450 potential cases of lung illness associated with the use of vaping products have been reported to CDS from 33 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started its multi-state investigation on the outbreak on August 1^st, working with state health departments.⁵

By August 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) joined the investigation by helping the CDC and state health officials gather more information on vaping products and substances used and providing laboratory assistance to shed light on the effects of vaping on the lungs.⁶ While the CDC and Surgeon General have advised against the use of e-cigarettes among youth since 2018⁷, it has only been since August 20, 2019, that they have advised adults against vaping releasing this statement:

“Regardless of the ongoing investigation, e-cigarette products should not be used by youth, young adults, pregnant women, as well as adults who do not currently use tobacco products. If you use e-cigarette products, monitor yourself for symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath, chest pain) and promptly seek medical attention if you have concerns about your health. CDC and FDA will continue to advise and alert the public as more information becomes available.” – CDC Health Alert Network⁸

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