UPDATE: The first U.S. death attributed to vaping appears to have been reported.

Original story below…

——

NOTTINGHAM, MD – If you use e-cigarettes, you might want to reconsider.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is providing consultation to the departments of health in Wisconsin, Illinois, California, Indiana, and Minnesota about a cluster of pulmonary illnesses linked to e-cigarette product use, or “vaping,” primarily among adolescents and young adults.

Additional states have alerted CDC to possible (not confirmed) cases and investigations into these cases are ongoing.

There is no conclusive evidence that an infectious disease is causing the illnesses.

While some cases in each of the states are similar and appear to be linked to e-cigarette product use, more information is needed to determine what is causing the illnesses.

Latest Information

• 94 possible cases of severe lung illness associated with vaping were reported in 14 states from June 28, 2019, to August 15, 2019 (this includes 30 cases in Wisconsin).
• The investigation is ongoing and more information will be shared as it is available.

CDC notified U.S. healthcare systems and clinicians about the illnesses and what to watch for via a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Clinical Action Message. For information about a specific state, contact that state’s health department.

E-cigarettes are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “vapes,” “e-hookahs,” “vape pens,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).” Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items.

Click here for more information on e-cigarettes.