Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Second Illinois vaping-related death reported, but health officials still don’t know the cause

Posted in:

Illinois

* Press release…

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reporting the death of a second Illinois individual who had recently vaped and been hospitalized with a severe lung injury. At this time, a total of 153 people in Illinois, ranging in age from 13 to 66 years old, with a median age of 22, have experienced lung injuries after using e-cigarettes or vaping.

IDPH is working with local health departments to investigate another 41 possible cases. Affected individuals have experienced respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Many have also experienced gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms worsened over a period of days or weeks before admission to the hospital. […]

More than 80% of the cases in Illinois report recent use of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-containing products, primarily obtaining them from informal sources such as friends or on the street. Additionally, almost half have also used nicotine-based products. IDPH has submitted 54 products and devices to the FDA for testing since August and has received preliminary results for 17 samples. Initial results from the FDA for Illinois are similar to information previously reported nationwide. Of the samples submitted, vitamin E acetate was found in two of the samples with THC. The FDA continues to perform additional testing. […]

At this time, health officials have not identified the cause or causes of the lung injuries with the only commonality among all cases being patients report the use of vaping products, including e-cigarettes. No one device, compound, or ingredient has emerged as the cause of these illnesses to date; and it may be that there is more than one cause of this lung injury.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 3:49 pm

Comments

[Full Disclosure - In the Vape Retail BIZ]

Ironically, earlier today a co-worker came to me with a story of one of his friend’s mother who passed within the past week. The mother was supposedly a decades long multi-pack per day cigarette smoker that had developed serious lung disease roughly 2 years ago.

The mother started vaping 2 years ago as a way to quit smoking and was a regular user of vape for the past 2 years. The story I was told FWIW is that the family was upset because the medical professionals were planning to report her death as “vaping related” to CDC/IDPH etc. even though the disease from which she died could be directly traced to years of pre-vaping heavy cigarette use.

With today’s report from IDPH I will reach-out for more facts. Buy you can see from the report that they typically gloss over any actual causation. Most of these reports are quite similar to this one and fully lacking in causation: “the death of a second Illinois individual who had recently vaped and been hospitalized with a severe lung injury”

If I were to pass tomorrow, it could be said that a person recently passed from a heart attack who had recently:
- Eaten A Cheeseburger
-Drank A Soda
-Consumed a Beer
-Gotten a little drunk in the past month
- Had a bacon sandwich
- Hadn’t exercised much
- Parted his hair on the left side
- Wore blue jeans almost every day

Before we take away the number 1 proven way for adults to quit smoking cigarettes - let’s have some proof of causation that what we are banning is the direct or significant contributing cause of ailments. So far all I’ve seen is black market THC-laced home brew vape that’s been the issue.

Comment by VapeRetailer Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 4:14 pm
In true exploitation of a crisis the General Assembly will pass a flavored vaping ban while remaining silent on what is actually killing people.

Comment by Flat Bed Ford Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 4:32 pm
Another black market batch of drugs with a dangerous compound used to dilute the product.

Comment by Randomly Selected Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 4:43 pm
you would think by now that they would have a database that shows what was purchased where so people could take heed. remember Woodstock and the announcement about the bad acid?

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 4:59 pm