What happened to the THC vaping crisis? The culprit wasn’t an infectious disease, but a poison: THC vaping devices sold on the black market that were filled with oily contaminants that suffocated and burned victims’ lungs once inhaled. More than a year later—and what a year it’s been—Gizmodo decided to take a look back at this crisis.
Full Answer
What are the dangers of vaping?
The interchangeable use of smoking and vaping is most common in people under age 35. They face equal risk of heart attack or stroke than if they lit up exclusively. The takeaway is that there is no ‘best’ method of inhaling nicotine.
How many people have died from vaping?
Vaping caused the death of sixty-eight people in the US between December 3rd, 2019 and February 18th, 2020. These deaths occurred across the US—in 29 states and the District of Columbia. Contrary to what you might believe, the median age of the people who died was 49.5 years. The youngest victim was 15, and the oldest—75 years old. 5.
What are the negative health effects of vaping?
The short-term side effects of using nicotine vapes are usually:
- Lingering aftertaste
- Light-headedness
- Sweating
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- High blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
Why teens shouldn't vape?
The Top Three Reasons Teens Should Stop Vaping
- Lung Illness. Hundreds of teens have been hospitalized due to vaping related lung illnesses. The Chicago Tribune covered...
- Bad Devices. With the rising popularity of vaping, many counterfeited devices have entered the market. Vaping black...
- Death. The Center for Disease Control reported vaping related deaths have been...
When did the vaping deaths start?
According to a systematic review article, "Initial case reports of vaping-related lung injury date back to 2012, but the ongoing outbreak of EVALI began in the summer of 2019..." At least 19 cases of vaping-associated pulmonary injuries had been reported worldwide prior to 2019.
What is the vaping epidemic?
The exposure of young people to e-cigarettes through the process of vaping has garnered national attention in the media. The prevalence of nicotine vaping in the US doubled in grades 8, 10, and 12 across a 2-year span from 2017 to 2019, making it the largest increase in adolescent substance use ever recorded.
Is vaping an epidemic in the US?
We must take aggressive steps to protect our children from these highly potent products that risk exposing a new generation of young people to nicotine. The bad news is that e-cigarette use has become an epidemic among our nation's young people.
How many deaths came from vaping?
Sixty-four people have died and 2,758 have been hospitalized due to vaping-related lung injuries, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Is vaping worse than smoking?
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
Why do kids start vaping?
Young people start smoking or vaping for a variety of reasons; peer pressure, the belief that it relieves stress or looks cool, to lose or control weight, easy access, and role models or family members who use tobacco.
How do lungs heal from vaping?
However, there are certain lifestyle behaviors you can practice to try and accelerate the rate at which your lungs heal.Drink Lots Of Water. ... Eat Healthy Foods. ... Exercise Regularly. ... Cough. ... Clean Your Living Space. ... Practice Deep Breathing. ... Try Steam Therapy.
Is vaping increasing or decreasing?
DALLAS July 22, 2022 — While overall current electronic cigarette use (meaning use within the past 30 days) fell slightly in 2020 from previous years, daily e-cigarette use has been steadily increasing among U.S. adults, according to new research supported by the American Heart Association's Tobacco Center of ...
Why has vaping become so popular?
Experts say part of the reason for the surge in use in such a short time is the evolution of the devices themselves. "We used to say that cigarettes are the most effective way of consuming nicotine, but e-cigarettes have replaced them," said Dr.
How many kids are vaping?
2022 Findings on Youth E-Cigarette Use 14.1% (2.14 million) of high school students and 3.3% (380,000) of middle school students reported current e-cigarette use.
Will vape set off smoke alarm in hospital?
What About E-Cigarettes and Vaporizers? Unlike conventional cigarettes, these battery-powered versions create vapor as a byproduct, not smoke. Despite this, they can still set off a fire alarm if you blow vapor directly into it. All smoke alarms are sensitive to small, airborne particles.
What does vaping do to your body?
The majority of vape liquids contain nicotine. In addition to being highly addictive, nicotine alters the neurotransmitters in the brain. It has been found to slow brain development in teens and affect memory, decision-making, concentration, self-control, and mood.
How many teenagers are vaping?
In 2021, more than a quarter (27.6%) of high school e-cigarette users and 8.3% of current middle school e-cigarette users reported vaping daily, according to the 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey.
Why is vaping a problem in schools?
Vaping is a dangerous health risk, even to young students. A new study found that youth who use e-cigarettes are up to seven times more likely to test positive for COVID-19. There are many ways to tackle vaping in schools.
What are 5 risks of vaping?
Vaping has been linked to lung injury.Rapid onset of coughing.Breathing difficulties.Weight loss.Nausea and vomiting.Diarrhea.
How do lungs heal from vaping?
However, there are certain lifestyle behaviors you can practice to try and accelerate the rate at which your lungs heal.Drink Lots Of Water. ... Eat Healthy Foods. ... Exercise Regularly. ... Cough. ... Clean Your Living Space. ... Practice Deep Breathing. ... Try Steam Therapy.
When did the FDA start regulating e-cigarettes?
It is important to note FDA’s initial efforts to regulate e-cigarettes began more than a decade ago. Between 2008 and 2010, FDA attempted to regulate e-cigarettes as unapproved drug/device combination products. FDA’s action was challenged and ultimately, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that while FDA could choose to regulate e-cigarettes and other products “made or derived from tobacco” under its new tobacco authorities, it could not regulate these products under FDA’s drug and device authority unless they were marketed for therapeutic purposes. 1
Why did the FDA suspend inspections?
Suspending inspections was necessary to protect the health and safety of FDA’s staff and contractors (both adults and youth) who participate in the inspections. However, FDA’s monitoring and surveillance of websites, publications, and social media continued without interruption during that time.
How many inspections has the FDA done?
Since 2010, FDA has conducted more than 900 inspections of manufacturing establishments, some of which manufacture ENDS products (including e-liquids). Since the Deeming rule took effect on August 8, 2016, FDA has conducted more than 2,500 vape shop inspections.
How many warning letters did the FDA issue in 2021?
As of May 31, 2021, FDA had issued more than 120 warning letters to firms selling or distributing unauthorized ENDS and that did not submit premarket applications by the September 9 deadline. Collectively these companies have listed a combined total of over 1,280,000 products with FDA.
What is the FDA's role in tobacco?
In 2009, Congress passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act), which amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) to authorize FDA to oversee the manufacture, marketing, distribution, and sale of tobacco products and protect the public from the harmful effects of tobacco product use.
When did the deeming rule take effect?
Some of the requirements, such as the Federal minimum age of sale, were enforced immediately when the deeming rule took effect on August 8, 2016, while through an exercise of enforcement discretion, FDA temporarily deferred enforcement of other provisions such as premarket review of “new” tobacco products.
How many youth use e-cigarettes in 2020?
While we are seeing some progress in youth prevalence rates, the fact that there are still 3.6 million youth e-cigarettes users in 2020 is deeply concerning and underscores the critical need for FDA to address youth use of e-cigarettes and other ENDS.
How can physicians help with vaping?
The other way physicians can help address vaping in adolescents is by participating in advocacy at a local, state or national level. Currently in the state of Missouri, e-cigarettes are not included in the definition of “Tobacco Products” and thus are not subject to the same restrictions as combustible cigarettes. The sale of e-cigarettes to those under 18 years of age is prohibited, just as with tobacco. But the only regulation in place for e-cigarette packaging is that the liquid must be in child-resistant containers. The American Academy of Pediatrics is currently advocating for Missouri to include e-cigarettes in smoke-free laws and to increase the minimum age to purchase electronic cigarettes to 21 years.16Organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Physicians have both released position papers on vaping and offer further ways to join the fight. It is time for physicians to ask their adolescent patients about vaping and to provide education to the child and parents on the dangers of vaping. Physicians have the responsibility to be advocates for their patients working with medical organizations, state and local governments to address the adolescent vaping epidemic.
What is the advertising for e-cigarettes?
Advertising for e-cigarettes has been heavily aimed at adolescents. Everything from the billboards to the packaging to the product itself has been aimed at teens. Ads on social media were widely distributed. From 2014 to 2016, advertising for vaping exploded and one study found that 78% of middle and high school students had been exposed to at least one advertisement.1Pods come in fun packaging and the different pods are flavored to be attractive to adolescents, with everything from mint to gummi bear to frosted sugar cookie. This is especially concerning because studies have shown that flavor is one of the most important factors adolescents consider in trying e-cigarettes.4The devices to aerosolize the pods are designed to look like anything from USBs to pens to inhalers. They can be personalized much like a cell phone case and backpacks have special pockets for the mod devices.
How does nicotine affect the brain?
Adolescent brains are still developing, and nicotine exposure has been linked with cognitive deficits and impairment in memory and executive function. Electronic cigarettes have been connected with increased impulsivity, with one animal study demonstrating that exposure to e-cigarette vapor during times of rapid brain growth (like during adolescence) can cause hyperactivity and impulsive behavior changes.4Another study looking specifically at the teen population found increased risks of physical fighting, attempted suicide, and alcohol/marijuana use when comparing non-users to teens who smoked or vaped.8
What is an electronic cigarette?
Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated devices that use an electric pulse to heat and aerosolize a flavored liquid that typically contains nicotine. They were first introduced to the U.S. in 2007, and they were advertised by the tobacco companies as an adjunct method to help patients quit smoking. This claim never had evidence to support it, as studies comparing the use of electronic cigarettes, placebos, and nicotine patches demonstrated no significant differences in abstinence rates.3But because e-cigarettes were seen as a treatment option, they were not subjected to the same regulations as combustible cigarettes. It wasn’t until 2016 that the Congress passed the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act, giving the FDA the authority to regulate e-cigarette packaging.1
Do e-cigarettes increase the chance of smoking?
There has also been evidence that suggests e-cigarette use increases an individual’s chance of using combustible cigarettes . Adolescents who use e-cigarettes are 3.6 times more likely to report using combustible cigarettes later in life.9Teens have also been shown to be more susceptible to addiction. We know that nicotine addiction often originates in adolescence with studies showing that close to 90% of adult daily smokers started before the age of 18.10Thus, e-cigarettes are effectively helping to create a new generation addicted to nicotine.
Is e-cigarette use increasing?
Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has recently risen to the forefront of medical discussions across the country. A significant increase in e-cigarette use by adolescents has been observed over the last decade. This article discusses the targeting of adolescents by e-cigarette companies. It looks at how teenagers are uniquely affected by nicotine and at risk for progressing to using combustible cigarettes and marijuana. Lastly, it discusses the role of physicians in combating the spread of e-cigarettes.
Can vaping be used to inhale cannabinoids?
Many vaping devices can also be used to inhale cannabinoids. One study demonstrated that teens who use nicotine liquid in e-cigarettes were 3.6 to 4 times more likely to use marijuana in the next two years.1Another study demonstrated that 1 in 10 seniors in high school vape cannabis.6This should be extremely distressing to physicians and medical providers because it is known that marijuana is extremely harmful to the development of the adolescent brain and studies have actually shown changes in brain structure. As a result, deficits in attention, learning, and memory associated with cannabis use in adolescents has been reported.11One study demonstrated that high schoolers who use marijuana were four times more likely to have multiple sexual partners when compared to students who only use tobacco or alcohol.12A sizable portion of adolescents who use marijuana report symptoms of paranoia, anxiety and hallucinations.13. Adverse effects from marijuana use, including cannabis hyperemesis syndrome have become common among pediatric patients.14
Crisis Situation
An alarming 2.5 percent of high school students are using electronic cigarettes today. That is a 135% increase over the past two years. At the same time, more than 1,600 people have suffered from a vaping related lung injury, and several dozens have died.
Key Facts about Use of E-cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes—or e-cigarettes are also called vapes, e-hookahs, vape pens, and electronic delivery systems (ENDS) among others.
What Is Causing the Crisis?
With respect to the recent reports of acute vaping-related lung injuries—there are a few theories. Lung ailments are being caused by the ingredients present in cartridges containing THC. Most of these were purchased off the black market.
Long-term effects
Ultimately, there’s very little known about what happens to the chemicals in e-cigarettes when you heat and inhale them. In a briefing, Anne Schuchat said that the CDC is conducting studies to try to analyze both the product and potentially the vapor or aerosol released by the heating of such chemicals.
Short-term Effects
Short-term risks of vaping—particularly vaping related illness—are very real. John Carl, MD, a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic said, “We know a lot of the short-term effects [on the lungs],” explaining that vaping increases inflammation in the lungs.
The Youth Vaping Crisis
Before the first cases of lung injuries were reported, kids vaping was a big health concern across the country. Last year’s data showed a spike in youth vaping with 3.6 million young people have used e-cigarettes. Preliminary numbers show a similar rise in the 2019 data.
What Can Be Done?
The delay in implementing comprehensive regulations for e-cigarettes has contributed to a growing crisis of vaping related illnesses and deaths across the U.S. and is a particular risk to young adults.
What is the appeal of vaping?
The appeal of vaping advertising is also stronger and more focused on younger markets. Specifically, “vaping..attracts young people who have never even smoked cigarettes, encouraged by aggressive marketing and the variety of alcopops type flavors available.”.
Is vaping dangerous?
With this much public and government pressure to enforce health and safety, it would be wise to consider the potential dangers of vaping. Even despite the lack of clarity on e-cigarettes, data does show that the people of the United States and the larger global community should take the threat of this epidemic seriously. We must be aware of the potential injury it poses to ourselves and our country’s way of living.
Is it safe to smoke e-cigs?
Despite the significant increase in the amount of recent lung injury cases, the positive and empowering intentions of e-cigarettes should not be overlooked. E-cigarettes were originally introduced to the market about 15 years ago as a safe alternative to smoking, delivering nicotine through a seemingly less harmful heated liquid. Multiple professional studies, such as a British study, published as recently as February 2019 in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that “e-cigarettes are more efficient than patches, gum or other products in helping people to stop smoking cigarettes.” Even though it’s currently difficult to quantify their health ramifications, these studies show that there is evidence that e-cigarettes are indeed less toxic than traditional cigarettes.
Does vaping increase the number of smokers?
Of further concern is that the growing number of vape users has been shown to also correlate to an increase in the number of first-time and daily smokers of real cigarettes, particularly in younger crowds, as noted before. This is quite opposite of the initially intended effect. William Shadel, a scientist at the RAND Corporation in Pittsburgh, Penn. says “vaping could make you more dependent on nicotine, and cause you to later want to take up cigarette smoking.” The role of vaping as an onramp to smoking real cigarettes cannot be cautioned against enough.
When will vaping peak?
Emergency department (ED) visits related to e-cigarette, or vaping, products continue to decline, after sharply increasing in August 2019 and peaking in September.
When is the next vaping hospital admission?
Dates of symptom onset and hospital admission for patients with lung injury associated with e-cigarette use, or vaping — United States, March 31, 2019–February 15, 2020. Numbers do not sum to 2,807 due to missing admission dates.
How many deaths from evali in 2020?
As of February 18, 2020, a total of 2,807 hospitalized EVALI cases or deaths have been reported to CDC from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands). Sixty-eight deaths have been confirmed in 29 states and the District of Columbia (as of February 18, 2020).
What is an e-cigarette?
Using an e-cigarette is commonly called vaping. E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid to produce an aerosol that users inhale into their lungs.
When did the CDC stop collecting data?
Due to the subsequent identification of the primary cause of EVALI, and the considerable decline in EVALI cases and deaths since a peak in September 2019, CDC stopped collecting these data from states as of February 2020.
How to contact CDC about e-cigarettes?
If you have questions about CDC’s investigation into the lung injuries associated with use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products, contact CDC-INFO or call 1-800-232-4636.
Where to report evali?
CDC encourages clinicians to continue to report possible cases of EVALI to their local or state health department for further investigation.
Introduction
- Good morning, Chairman Krishnamoorthi, Ranking Member Cloud, and Members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to be here today to discuss the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA or the Agency) efforts to address youth use of electronic nicotine delivery systems, or ENDS, which include e-cigarettes. I am Janet Woodcock, Acting FDA Comm...
Background
- Let me start with some information on our tobacco regulatory authorities and our recent regulatory efforts regarding ENDS and e-cigarettes. Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Each year, more than 480,000 people in the United States die prematurely from diseases caused by cigarette smoking and exposure to toba…
Regulatory Requirements For Ends Products
- When the Deeming rule took effect in August 2016, many of the regulatory and legal requirements that had been in place for manufacturers of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigarette tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco since 2009, as well as several new requirements specific to deemed products, became applicable to manufacturers of e-cigarettes and other ENDS products. These i…
Data on Youth Use of E-Cigarettes
- FDA collaborates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to administer the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) to middle and high school students each year. The survey provides important data that allow us to understand current youth tobacco product use in a larger historical context. NYTS data from 2018 and 2019 showed disturbing increases in the use of e-c…
FDA’s Actions to Address Youth Use of Ends Products
- Protecting our nation’s youth from the dangers of tobacco products is among the Agency’s most important responsibilities, and we are taking aggressive steps to make sure tobacco products are not being marketed or sold to kids. Our work to protect youth from tobacco products is comprehensive and includes compliance and enforcement, premarket review, public education, …
Conclusion
- Thank you again for the opportunity to testify about FDA’s comprehensive efforts to regulate ENDS, including our actions to prevent youth access to, and use of, these products. The efforts described here are just a part of the important work FDA and the Administration are undertaking to protect children and youth from the harms of tobacco products. We still have much to accom…
Overview
An outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) started in 2019 among users of illegal, unregulated cannabis vaping products, almost exclusively in the United States. The first cases of this particular outbreak were identified in Illinois and Wisconsin in April 2019; as of 18 February 2020, a total of 2,807 hospitalized cases, including 68 deaths, have b…
Public health recommendations
The CDC recommends that the public should consider not using any vaping products during their investigation, particularly those containing THC from informal sources like friends, family, or in-person or online dealers as of 20 November 2019. The U.S. FDA considers it prudent to avoid inhaling vitamin E acetate. On 6 September 2019, the U.S. FDA stated that because consumers cannot be sure whether any THC vaping products may contain vitamin E acetate, consumers ar…
Background
According to a systematic review article, "Initial case reports of vaping-related lung injury date back to 2012, but the ongoing outbreak of EVALI began in the summer of 2019..." At least 19 cases of vaping-associated pulmonary injuries had been reported worldwide prior to 2019. The first case of e-cigarettes inducing lipid pneumonia was documented in the medical literature in 2012, though the causative agent was identified as glycerin, not vitamin E acetate. Glycerin was l…
United States
Cases involved in the outbreak of severe vaping-associated pulmonary injury were first identified in Illinois and Wisconsin in April 2019. As of 18 February 2020, a total of 2,807 hospitalized cases of lung illness associated with the use of vaping products have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two US territories (Puerto …
Canada
On 18 September 2019, a case of severe lung illness associated with vaping in Canada was reported. A high school student in Ontario needed to be put on life support. The person had been vaping every day. His health improved and he was released from the hospital. This case has not been confirmed, as 27 September 2019. He vaped intensively, adding THC to his devices. He initially showed symptoms aligning with bronchiolitis (lung condition normally caused by a bacter…
Other countries
What has occurred in the United States has not occurred in other places where vaping is frequent, such as the UK. In European countries such as France, there is no evidence of an outbreak of the vaping-associated lung illness that occurred in the US.
Investigation
Investigators from multiple states in the US are collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) to determine the cause of the lung illnesses associated with the use of vaping products.
On 6 September 2019, Dr. Dana Meaney-Delman, serving as the incident mana…
Illicit vaping
Inhalation of chemicals or substances is considered to be the main cause of the lung illnesses. Counterfeit cannabis cartridges are being sold to users at a reduced cost. Dank Vapes is an illicit brand that uses a cartridge. There is no singular company that owns Dank Vapes; there have been hundreds of people selling Dank Vapes cartridges. Dank Vapes appears to be the most prominent i…