Health officials are investigating an outbreak of severe pulmonary disease this summer that appears to be linked to the use of e-cigarettes, or vaping. One person has died, and many others have been hospitalized with a variety of symptoms in the days and weeks after they reported vaping. As of late August, 215 possible cases of e-cigarette–associated pulmonary disease have been reported in 25 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Unknown Cause

On Friday, the agency released a Health Advisory that provides information about e-cigarette products, updated details about the outbreak, and recommendations for clinicians, public health officials, and the public.

Health officials noted that respiratory (cough, shortness of breath, chest pain), gastrointestinal (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), or nonspecific constitutional (fatigue, fever, or weight loss) symptoms have been occurring in otherwise healthy people, many in their teens or 20s, since June.

The exact cause of the outbreak is unknown, but reports point to a common factor: e-cigarette products were reportedly used by those affected. Many, but not all, patients reported that they’d used tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoid products. The CDC, along with the Food and Drug Administration and local and state health departments, continues to investigate the cause of the outbreak.

Unsafe Products

In the meantime, it’s clear that there are “serious risks associated with e-cigarette products,” said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD, in a statement about the outbreak released on August 23, 2019. “Vaping exposes users to many different substances for which we have little information about related harms—including flavorings, nicotine, cannabinoids, and solvents.”

E-cigarettes are available in a variety of forms, including vaping devices, liquids, refill pods, and cartridges. Typically, the device is used to heat a liquid that often contains nicotine (but may include marijuana or other drugs), flavorings, and various chemicals. The resulting aerosol is inhaled into the lungs.

The CDC’s website notes, “E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.” The agency points out in its health advisory that although e-cigarettes that contain nicotine hold the potential to help some adults who smoke cigarettes and want to quit, clinical evidence is inconclusive. The FDA has not approved e-cigarettes to be used as an aid in quitting smoking.

While the investigation into the outbreak continues, the CDC warns those who use e-cigarettes to not buy products on the street, alter the products in any way, or use substances, such as cannabinoids, other than those intended by the manufacturers.

For More Information

The CDC’s website contains additional details about e-cigarettes and the risks and health effects of using them. It also includes photos of different vaping products, which are available in all shapes and sizes and can be similar in appearance to a pen or a USB flash drive, or even regular cigarettes.

News in AJN About E-Cigarettes and Vaping

“Some Young Adult E-Cigarette Users Report Seizures” (July 2019)

“NewsCAP: E-cigarettes erase progress in reducing teen tobacco use” (May 2019)

“NewsCAP: ‘Dripping’ is becoming popular with e-cigarette users” (May 2017)