- E-cigarettes might be the cause behind nearly 100 cases of a mysterious lung disease that's appeared across 14 states in America.
- Many of those affected are young adults and teenagers, some of which are in intensive care and on ventilators.
- To date, there are no signs that the illness is infectious and officials have said they still cannot confirm whether the cases are associated with e-cigarette devices themselves or the specific ingredients that are being inhaled.
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A spike in a mysterious and severe lung disease across several US states could be linked to smoking e-cigarettes or vaping, according to the Washington Post.
Those affected are complaining of breathing difficulties and chest pain. Some are even in intensive care, requiring artificial ventilation. Whether or not there will be lasting repercussions is still unclear.
According to officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 94 cases of the lung disease have occurred in 14 American states since June this year. 30 of these have been reported in Wisconsin alone, while nearby Illinois also reported 24 possible cases.
All those affected have confirmed previously consuming various vaping substances, ranging from nicotine to marijuana-based products. The brands of these products are still not known – however, Juul, the leading e-cigarette manufacturer in the US, told Reuters it would look into the reports.
Now, health authorities are hoping to educate the public about the signs of severe lung disease, some of which include breathing difficulties, shortness of breath or chest pains. Other symptoms also include a fever, cough, vomiting and diarrhea.
Read more: Vaping might be better for you than smoking, but e-cigarettes like Juul come with risks of their own
So far, there is no evidence that the illness is infectious, according to CDC spokeswoman Kathy Harben. While there seems to be a pattern in the reported cases, officials say they don't know whether the disease is associated with specific ingredients in the vapes or the devices themselves.
Emily Chapman, chief medical officer at Children's Minnesota, who has cared for four teenagers with the illness told Washington Post: "We haven't had that kind of history with vaping to be able to assure anyone – teens included – that this is a safe practice.
"These cases are extremely complex to diagnose, as symptoms can mimic a common infection yet can lead to severe complications and extended hospitalization. Medical attention is essential. Respiratory conditions can continue to decline without proper treatment."
The vaping trend has been gaining popularity in recent years, especially among teenagers and young adults. In the US alone, 10.8 million adults smoke e-cigarettes and more than half of them are under 35 years old, according to a study. In July, 14 teens were hospitalized and one put into an induced coma, after experiencing breathing problems from vaping.
Read more:Flavored e-cigarettes could be bad for heart health, researchers say
So far, e-cigarettes have been considered to be less harmful than normal cigarettes because they don't contain all the toxic chemicals associated with smoking tobacco. Instead, liquid nicotine is converted into a mist or vapor that is then inhaled via a mouthpiece.
In November 2018, the FDA announced it would limit the sales of flavored tobacco products to adult-only stores and online vendors in an effort to curb youth vaping. San Francisco became the first US city to outlaw tobacco vapes in June.
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