Three Dead and More Than 170 Treated for Vaping-Related Illness in Illinois

November 12, 2019

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the number of respiratory illnesses associated with vaping continues to rise. There are more than 170 cases with confirmed links to vaping, and about 40 cases are under investigation. 

Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that e-cigarettes have surpassed conventional cigarettes as the most commonly used nicotine product among youth. Youth aren’t the only ones being harmed, though: Illinois patients presenting with lung injury associated with vaping have ranged in age from 13-75.

The CDC has identified Vitamin E Acetate – a common additive used in the production of vaping products – as a “potential chemical of concern” in these cases, most of which have involved THC cartridges. The CDC continues to state that the only way to eliminate risk of lung injury from vaping is to refrain from use of all e-cigarette, or vaping, products.