WASHINGTON, D.C. — Days after the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) announced an investigation into dozens of vaping-related illness happening across the country, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced today that it had learned of a death from a severe respiratory illness in a patient who had recently vaped.
Black market THC vape products used by a patient in California (San Francisco Chronicle)
While there is no concrete evidence linking the patient’s death to vaping as of yet, this news follows two weeks of releases by numerous state and local health departments linking the use of black market, amateur-made THC cartridges to severe lung issues. In nearby Wisconsin, all patients who suffered illnesses reported vaping cannabis. Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours, both California and New Mexico issued warnings specific to THC. Additionally, yesterday USA Today interviewed a doctor in New York who linked the lung issues of her patients to THC vaping.
Gregory Conley, President of the American Vaping Association, issued the following statement:
“Each day of this crisis brings more evidence that street vapes containing THC or other illegal drugs are responsible for these illnesses, not nicotine vaping products.
“It is incredibly irresponsible for media outlets and health authorities to continue to focus on vaping products generally when we know that tainted, black market THC products remain on the streets. We continue to call on the CDC and FDA to not only promptly investigate these incidents, but also act to ensure that adult smokers know that nicotine vaping products remain a far safer alternative to smoking.”
About the American Vaping Association
The American Vaping Association is a nonprofit organization that advocates for fair and sensible regulation of vapor products, otherwise known as electronic cigarettes, with the goal of maximizing the number of adult smokers who use these products to quit smoking. The AVA was founded by Gregory Conley, a consumer and industry advocate with a long track record of advocating for vapor products dating back to 2010.
We are dedicated to educating the public and government officials about public health benefits offered by vapor products, which are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid nicotine or nicotine-free solution and create an inhalable vapor. The AVA is not a trade group and does not speak for any particular businesses, including our industry sponsors.
You can learn more about AVA and vaping by visiting the AVA website. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.
