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Tag: vaping illnesses

  • Marijuana Vaping Busts Skyrocket

    Marijuana Vaping Busts Skyrocket

    Over the past two years more than 510,000 marijuana vaping cartridges have been seized by authorities across the nation.

    The recent wave of vaping illnesses and deaths has pushed authorities to crack down on illegal vaping cartridges, cranking the number of seizures of illegal marijuana vaping products through the roof in 2019.  

    According to the Associated Press, over the past two years more than 510,000 marijuana vaping cartridges have been seized by authorities across the nation. More than 120 people have been arrested in connection with the products. 

    Big Busts In 2019

    In November a 30-year-old Minnesota man was caught speeding in Nebraska and police wound up searching his vehicle after “detecting the presence of a controlled substance.” Inside the vehicle, they found 386 containers of THC wax, 144 packages of THC shatter, 62 THC vape cartridges, 39 containers of THC edibles and liquid products, and four pounds of marijuana. 

    Nealry 1,000 pounds of marijuana and 2,000 vaping cartridges were seized during a routine traffic stop in North Texas in late November. The drugs were on their way to North Carolina. 

    In October, a tip from a concerned anonymous source, led Wisconsin authorities seize more than 10,000 vaping cartridges, 18 pounds of marijuana and $950k. 

    North Phoenix authorities had their own massive bust in September when they were able to seize $380,000 worth of drugs including THC vaping cartridges while serving a warrant. 

    Daniel Ray Hawkins and Benjamin Blake Lumpkin were arrested in North Carolina. They stand accused of running a DMT lab (DMT AKA dimethyltryptamin is a powerful hallucinogenic drug) and putting DMT into marijuana vape pens. The DMT found inside the house was worth an estimated $4 million. 

    “The solution to decreasing the risk associated with THC vapor products lies in continuing towards a legalized and regulated market, not increased criminalization and arrests,” said NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri.

    Vaping Illnesses

    While busts appear to be ramping up as vaping illnesses and deaths continue to rise on a daily basis. As of November 21, the CDC’s Latest Outbreak Information for e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injuries (EVALI) reports that there are now 2,290 cases of EVALI and 47 deaths linked to the illness. Alaska, which was the only state unaffected by vaping illnesses, reported their first case on Tuesday. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Doctors Use "TikTok" To Teach Teens About Vaping Dangers

    Doctors Use "TikTok" To Teach Teens About Vaping Dangers

    Medical officials are harnessing the power of social media to talk to teens about important health issues and to dispel medical myths.

    Figuring out a way to reach teens has been an ongoing issue for medical professionals, teachers and parents for decades. But now, a handful of doctors have found a very modern solution to raising awareness and educating teens and it’s a popular app called TikTok.

    What Is TikTok?

    The app, which Slate describes as a “social network for amateur music videos,” allows users to express themselves in 15-second clips that they can then upload for their followers to see.

    Dr. Rose Marie Leslie uses the app to inform teens about the health impact of e-cigarettes and other medical misinformation. For Dr. Leslie, it’s important to dispel harmful health myths which are becoming more widespread thanks to the Internet. 

    “I may not be the perfect health guru on social media,” Dr. Leslie told CNBC. “I don’t meditate or do yoga, I rarely get enough sleep, I’m not vegan and I don’t post inspirational quotes. But let me tell you, I have never and will never try to convince you that drinking celery juice cures cancer.”

    Dr. Leslie, who can be found on the app under @DrLeslie, practices family medicine at the University of Minnesota. Her TikTok videos have put a spotlight on vaping illnesses, birth control and she even busts medical myths for her 300,000 TikTok followers.

    Dr. Leslie is happy that her videos are making a positive impacts on teens’ lives. She regularly receives letters, emails and comments from teens thanking her for helping them understand the issues. She also receives a number of medical questions that some teens are afraid to ask the adults in their lives. 

    The Power Of Social Media

    Dr. Austin Chiang is also a big believer in the power of social media. He uses Twitter, Instagram and TikTok to help young doctors and to educate the public on how vaccines work. 

    Public health experts see the use of social media in medicine as an overall positive thing. 

    “I’ve heard the criticism that doctors and other medical professionals on social media are somehow less credible, or won’t be taken as seriously by their peers,” said Sherry Pagoto, a behavioral scientist and professor at the Department of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Connecticut. “But I think that school of thought is going to be a thing of the past.”

    Pagoto added that “it would be great for public health organizations to follow the lead of these medical professionals on TikTok.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • CDC May Have Found Possible Cause Of Deadly Vaping Illness

    CDC May Have Found Possible Cause Of Deadly Vaping Illness

    Many believe that the product featuring the deadly thickening agent are only from counterfeit seller and wouldn’t be found in a legal dispensary.

    It’s been a few months since the Illinois Department of Public Health reported the first death from vaping-related causes and now the CDC is reporting that it may have found one of the potential causes of the mysterious illnesses and deaths: Vitamin E acetate.

    In an update posted on Friday November 8th, the CDC reported:

    Recent CDC laboratory testing of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples (or samples of fluid collected from the lungs) from 29 patients with EVALI submitted to CDC from 10 states found vitamin E acetate in all of the BAL fluid samples. Vitamin E acetate is used as an additive in the production of e-cigarette, or vaping, products. This is the first time that we have detected a potential chemical of concern in biologic samples from patients with these lung injuries.

    As of November 5th, there have been 39 deaths and 2,051 reported cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI). Health officials believe it is possible that there are other causes and their focus is now on getting confirmation that it is causing the illnesses.

    Leafly detailed the various uses of Vitamin E acetate, most of which are topical, and spoke to medical experts about its potential toxicity.

    You Shouldn’t Be Inhaling Vitamin E Acetate

    “Just the lack of toxicity data for inhaled Vitamin E acetate should raise red flags,” said Dr. Sven-Eric Jordt of Duke University School of Medicine.

    “No vitamin E should be vaped regardless of its chemical structure,” said Eliana Golberstein Rubashkyn, a pharmaceutical chemist.

    Many believe that the product causing the illnesses are counterfeit and wouldn’t be found in your local dispensary. Dumas de Rauly, chair of the ISO Committee on Vaping Standards and CEN Vaping Standards Committee who also runs a vaporizer company, minced no words when discussing the inhalation of Vitamin E acetate and where he thinks the tainted vapes are coming from.

    “In no case is this a product that you should be inhaling,” de Rauly told Marijuana Business Daily. “When you add products like vitamin E … when you add different kinds of lipid solvents to the mix, you’re making all of that oil stickier, and that stickiness is going to create these lung illnesses we’re seeing.”

    Cracking Down On Black Market Product

    de Rauly maintains that the vape oil made with Vitamin E acetate is from the black market.

    “All of the patients are saying they bought it off the street. They didn’t buy it in legal, regulated environments,” Dumas de Rauly said.“This is just basic math. … We have substantial data that shows that these products and these vaping illnesses come from the black market.”

    Dispensary owners are warning customers about buying unregulated vape oils off the street.

    “We inform all of our customers to steer clear from the black market completely and trust the licensed, reputable facilities that are springing up all over now,” a dispensary manager told Fox17. 

    Will there be a crackdown on the vaping black market? Michael Elias, the CEO of Marshall-based Michigan Pure Med, sure hopes so.

    “There have been more than 2,000 vaping-related lung injuries and more than three dozen deaths because of harmful cutting-agents found in illicit vape products, and this is unacceptable, which is why we need stronger enforcement of the illicit cannabis market.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Could Federal Legalization Solve The THC Vaping Illness Outbreak?

    Could Federal Legalization Solve The THC Vaping Illness Outbreak?

    Experts are starting to think that legalization may be the only way to find out the cause of the illnesses once and for all.

    Experts are increasingly looking toward federal decriminalization as a solution to the outbreak of severe lung illness and death across the U.S., according to a report by Vox.

    Close to 1,500 people have become ill and at least 33 have died from the mysterious illness, which began to suddenly crop up in March. As researchers look into the source of the problem, evidence has begun arising that most of these cases involve illicit, black market THC oil cartridges.

    Both national and statewide data have consistently shown that a strong majority of the patients of this lung illness had recently used a THC vaping product. The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that 78% of the reporting patients had used these products in the past while 92% of individuals from a similar survey in Utah had done so before getting sick.

    Because the THC vape market has largely shifted from relying on dried flower to oils, most of the patients who had vaped cannabis had done so with the oil form of the substance. 

    From Dried Herb To Processed Oils

    “What’s changed is that people used to vape dried herb and now you have more vaping of pre-processed manufactured oils, which involve different ingredients,” said University of Waterloo in Ontario public health researcher David Hammond.

    At the same time, data is showing that the majority of these products were obtained outside of legal sale. Most of them were “acquired from informal sources such as friends or illicit in-person and online dealers,” according to the CDC, and a New York Department of Health study found that the “vast majority” of their lung illness cases could be traced back to black market cartridges.

    Regulators Need To Catch Up

    THC products are often being developed faster than regulations can keep up with them, and authorities are having a hard time getting a handle on the black market that is likely responsible for the lung illnesses that have sickened so many.

    “Federal agencies exert little oversight, and regulation is left to a patchwork of inadequate state agencies,” said former FDA commissioner FDA Scott Gottlieb for the Wall Street Journal. “The weak state bodies sanction the adoption of unsafe practices such as vaping concentrates, while allowing an illegal market in cannabis to flourish.”

    With all this information coming together, experts are beginning to conclude that the most effective and reasonable path remaining is full federal cannabis legalization.

    “What federal legalization would do is allow for a more uniform and predictable and clear set of rules that would draw on the experience and expertise of the federal agencies in regulating consumer markets,” said Northwestern University professor Leo Beletsky.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Why's It Easier To Buy Marijuana Vape Pens Than To Research Them?

    Why's It Easier To Buy Marijuana Vape Pens Than To Research Them?

    “I can buy a vape device around the corner, but I can’t bring it into the lab and test it.”

    About one-third of the legal cannabis industry is based on vape products—but as more and more consumers began to vape cannabis, rather than smoke it, experts were unable to study the health effects because of federal bans on studying marijuana.

    “It’s disgraceful,” University of California, San Francisco professor and researcher Dr. Neal Benowitz told The New York Times. “I’m not able to take products we think are potentially harmful and do analysis. I can buy a vape device around the corner, but I can’t bring it into the lab and test it.”

    He Tried To Warn Congress

    Benowitz, a professor of medicine, studies vaping. This summer, before reports of widespread vaping-related became prevalent, Benowitz wrote to Congress expressing his concern about cannabis vapes. 

    “Very little is known about the safety or effects of vaped cannabis oil,” he wrote. He continued, warning that ingredients in the oils “could have harmful, toxic effect on users, including the potential for causing and/or promoting cancer and lung disease.”

    Vaping-related illnesses have killed 33 people around the country. 

    Even those who are in favor of vaping cannabis recognize that there are many unknowns about vapes. As president of the board of the United Cannabis Business Association, Jerred Kiloh represents 165 California dispensaries, including those that sell legal cannabis vape products. 

    “There’s a glaring gap in trying to understand this product,” Kiloh said. 

    Black Market Weed Vape Pens Are An Open Secret

    Kiloh pointed out that regulated vape pens cost about $55, but people can buy a black market pen with a comparable amount of THC for as little as $25. Investigators say that most of the vaping injury victims have used black market pens. The federal government has warned that people should stop using THC vape products.

    “We don’t know what the chemical composition is, and we especially don’t know what the chemical composition is once it’s been combined, heated and inhaled,” Kiloh said.  

    Users Discuss Why They’ll Continue To Vape

    Despite the risk, some people, like Cynthia Valdivia, 34, are still using vape pens. “There’s someone behind the brand and they don’t want to kill people. They want their money.”

    Another customer, who is 35, said that he prefers vaping because they are inconspicuous. “You could vape in a police station and no one would even know, not that you’d want to do that.” 

    Former FDA tobacco official Eric N. Lindblom said that for a long time there was no interest in regulating the vaping industry. Now, there is.

    “Only now that we have this special, extra weird mystery crisis with the disease and deaths is there now interest in doing something.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Hydrogen Cyanide Found In Bootleg Vapes

    Hydrogen Cyanide Found In Bootleg Vapes

    NBC News commissioned a lab test of vape cartridges obtained from both legal and illegal sources.

    Independent laboratory testing of vaping cartridges containing THC found that not only was vitamin E acetate present in the majority of samples, but also a variety of pesticides including one which, when burned, transformed into the chemical asphyxiant, hydrogen cyanide.

    Testing The Cartridges

    NBC News commissioned a cannabis testing facility to test cartridges obtained from both legal dispensaries and unlicensed sources. While the cartridges purchased from the former group showed no traces of pesticides, vitamin E or heavy metals, the majority of the other samples—all obtained from black market sources—showed signs of either vitamin E, the pesticides, or both.

    The findings cast new concerns on the growing health problem that appears to be linked to vaping cartridges and, in particular, those containing THC.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that as of October 1, more than 1,000 lung injury cases and 18 deaths associated with e-cigarette use have been reported from 48 states and one U.S. territory.

    No Smoking Gun

    Most of the cases involved individuals with a history of vaping and in particular, vaping products with THC. As both NBC, the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noted, no single substance has been shown to be the direct cause for all of the lung injury cases, though some state health officials have pointed to vitamin E acetate, a thickening agent that can cause pneumonia-like symptoms if inhaled.

    This lack of a core “smoking gun” led NBC News to conduct its own tests via CannaSafe, a testing facility located in Van Nuys, California. Eighteen samples of THC cartridges—three from licensed dealers and 15 from black market sources—all purchased in California were included in the test.

    CannaSafe

    None of the three cartridges from legal dispensaries showed any signs of dangerous agents like pesticides or solvents like vitamin E. But in 13 of the 15 obtained from unlicensed dealers, CannaSafe researchers found vitamin E acetate, while 10 of the 15 all tested positive for several different pesticides, including myclobutanil, a fungicide which will become hydrogen cyanide when burned.

    Also known as prussic acid or hydrocyanic acid, the colorless gas was described by the CDC as having the ability to “interfere with the normal use of oxygen in nearly every organ in the body,” and can be almost immediately fatal.

    In recent testimony before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Ned Sharpless said that his agency, along with the DEA, is currently pursuing the source of the tainted vape cartridges, but does not intend to target individuals unless they are found to be distributing products “that caused illness and death for personal profit.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Mother Accused Of Helping Sons Run Counterfeit THC Vape Operation

    Mother Accused Of Helping Sons Run Counterfeit THC Vape Operation

    Authorities reportedly seized nearly 130,000 cartridges that were either empty or contained THC oil from the family-run operation.

    A Wisconsin mother has been accused of helping her young adult sons run a massive counterfeit vape operation.

    Courtney Huffhines, 43, was arrested last Monday (Sept. 30) and has been charged with maintaining a drug-trafficking place, possession with intent to deliver and misappropriation of personal identifying materials.

    Authorities believe that Huffhines was involved in the counterfeit operation by providing a place to run the business and even helping package the THC cartridges at her real estate office, according to Rolling Stone.

    Jacob and Tyler Huffhines, 23 and 20 respectively, were arrested on September 5. Tyler, “the alleged ringleader,” was charged with maintaining a drug house, identity theft and intent to manufacture and distribute THC over 10,000 grams. Jacob was charged with possession of cocaine, THC and a firearm.

    Police Seize THC Oil Estimated to be Worth Over $1.5 Million

    Upon a raid of the family’s home in Paddock Lake and a condominium in nearby Bristol, authorities seized nearly 130,000 cartridges that were either empty or contained THC oil estimated to be worth over $1.5 million.

    The brothers’ operation produced close to 3,000 cartridges a day. They had employed at least 10 people who were paid $20 per hour to fill the cartridges with THC oil that would sell for around $35 to $40 each.

    Police Cracking Down in Response to Recent Vaping Related Illnesses

    The U.S. is currently experiencing an alarming emergence of vaping-related lung injuries and deaths.

    At the time of Jacob and Tyler’s arrest in early September, officials had estimated there were about 400 possible cases of lung injuries and six deaths related to vaping in the U.S. As of October 4, those numbers have shot up to more than 1,000 possible cases and at least 18 deaths, according to the CDC.

    Investigators are honing in on the cause of this outbreak, but an exact cause is yet to be determined.

    Tyler Huffhines’ lawyer argued in his initial court appearance in September that there was no evidence to suggest that the brothers’ operation was connected to the vaping-related illnesses.

    Authorities in Minnesota raided another counterfeit vape operation in late September, arresting one individual in the process. They seized nearly 77,000 vape cartridges containing THC and $23,000 in counterfeit cash from the operation located in Coon Rapids, a suburb of Minneapolis. The cartridges were worth nearly $4 million, according to NBC News.

    So far Minnesota has reported one vaping-related death. There have been no such deaths reported from Wisconsin.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • More Than 75,000 THC Vape Cartridges Seized In Historic Bust

    More Than 75,000 THC Vape Cartridges Seized In Historic Bust

    It’s the biggest bust of its kind in Minnesota history.

    Police in Minnesota confiscated 76,972 THC vape cartridges, estimated to be worth about $4 million, on Monday. Along with the illicit cartridges, law enforcement officers seized $23,000 in counterfeit cash and arrested a suspect who allegedly dealt the cartridges on Snapchat.

    The problem isn’t the THC itself, as medical marijuana is legal in Minnesota. Authorities are concerned that these unlicensed vendors are driving a growing scourge of vaping-related illnesses, possibly due to unknown additives in counterfeit cartridges.

    “We have no idea what is in these cartridges,” said Brian Marquart, an official from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

    This particular bust comes hot on the heels of the death of an elderly woman who was vaping THC to manage back pain. The Minnesota Department of Health says her August death marks the first time anyone in the state has died from a vaping-related lung injury.

    On a national scale, there have been 13 vaping-related deaths and 805 vaping-related illnesses, which has been pushing more states to ban vaping in some shape or form.

    States Banning Various Types Of E-Cigarettes

    Massachusetts has temporarily banned the sales of all vaping products. 

    “One of the experts said that, ‘We don’t have time to wait. People are getting sick and the time to act is now.’ I couldn’t agree more,” Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said.

    Michigan and New York have banned flavored vapes. New York in particular is zeroing in on vitamin E acetate, a particular additive found in many THC vape cartridges. Minnesota feels the same way.

    “We just don’t know the impact of when you inhale it,” said Daniel Huff, Assistant Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health.

    Feds Focus on Youth Vaping

    The crisis has even garnered attention at the federal level, with the Trump administration moving to ban flavored e-cigarette products.

    “The Trump administration is making it clear that we intend to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes to reverse the deeply concerning epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that is impacting children, families, schools and communities,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in a statement this month.

    According to Azar, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in the process of finalizing a compliance policy to remove all flavored e-cigarettes from the market, including legacy flavors like mint and menthol.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Walmart To Halt E-Cigarette Sales

    Walmart To Halt E-Cigarette Sales

    The American Vaping Association has criticized Walmart for punishing e-cigarette companies but continuing to sell regular cigarettes.

    With so much focus on the dangers of vaping in the news, one of the largest retailers in the world is announcing they’re going to phase out e-cigarettes.

    As Yahoo reports, Walmart has circulated an internal company memo which reads: “Given the growing federal, state and local regulatory complexity and uncertainty regarding e-cigarettes, we plan to discontinue the sale of electronic nicotine delivery products at all Walmart and Sam’s Club U.S. locations.” 

    Retailers React To Pressure

    The memo also stated that once the current inventory of e-cigarettes has sold, Walmart will “complete our exit” from selling them. 

    In the wake of nine deaths that have been linked to vaping, the FDA is launching a criminal investigation and lawmakers have implored the current administration to get rid of e-cigarettes altogether. 

    Back in May, Walmart voluntarily raised the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21. 

    As CNBC reports, a number of companies don’t want to wait for an FDA crackdown on e-cigarettes, and have been instituting their own bans on them. (CBS, WarnerMedia and Viacom have all decided to stop airing e-cigarette ads as well.)

    At the same time, the American Vaping Association has criticized Walmart for punishing e-cigarette companies but continuing to sell regular cigarettes. In a statement, the association’s president, Gregory Conley, said, “You know you are in the middle of a moral panic when big corporations like Walmart find it is easier to sell deadly combustible tobacco products than to sell harm reduction alternatives.”

    Prior to Walmart’s big move, the Trump administration announced it was moving ahead on banning flavored e-cigarette products. So far, Michigan and New York have banned flavored e-cigarettes just this month. San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban the sale of e-cigarettes this past June.

    As Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement, “The Trump administration is making it clear that we intend to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes to reverse the deeply concerning epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that is impacting children, families, schools and communities.” 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Skepticism Over E-Cigarettes Growing Rapidly

    Skepticism Over E-Cigarettes Growing Rapidly

    In the midst of a mysterious wave of vaping-related illnesses, public concern over vaping is at an all-time high. 

    Concern over vaping, which is the use of battery-powered e-cigarettes, has been growing recently as more and more respiratory issues are being connected to the devices. 

    According to Bloomberg, vaping is “a way to ingest nicotine, the addictive alkaloid present in tobacco, without the smoke and tar that comes from burning tobacco.” Vaping devices use a battery to heat a liquid containing nicotine, and the user then inhales the vapor that is produced. 

    Some devices, such as the Juul, have received much attention for their compact and appealing design, as well as flavors. Juul has been repeatedly accused of marketing their flavored vaping products to a young audience.

    “The effects on humans of nicotine are not well-studied, although adolescents appear to be particularly vulnerable to it, with some evidence suggesting it can harm brain development,” Bloomberg reports. “A report by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences said there was substantial evidence that young vapers are more likely than nonvapers to try regular cigarettes.”

    Traditional Cigarettes Vs E-Cigarettes

    Another debate surrounding the devices is whether they are actually better for your health than smoking cigarettes. Early on, the devices were marketed as cigarette alternatives that could help smokers quit and replace the habit with something considered less harmful at the time. 

    But recently, a wave of vaping-related illnesses has led to multiple deaths and hundreds of other health issues for vapers across the U.S. 

    “Doctors have seen hundreds of cases where patients—often youthful, previously healthy adults—have shown up in the emergency room, suddenly stricken with dangerous respiratory damage,” Bloomberg notes. 

    In November 2018, the Food and Drug Administration took action to limit most sales of flavored e-cigarettes to only vaping stores and online retailers. 

    Flavor Ban

    And more recently, the Trump administration has come forward with the intention to remove flavored vaping products from the market.

    “Now, on the direction of President Donald Trump, the FDA plans to issue regulatory guidance that will force the removal from the market of all vaping products that taste like anything other than tobacco,” Bloomberg states. “Sales could resume only with FDA approval.”

    The e-cigarette industry itself has also taken steps in this direction. In 2018, Juul announced that it had stopped stocking stores with appealing flavors like mango, fruit, creme and cucumber, and instead provided only tobacco, menthol and mint flavors. The company planned to continue selling the fruity flavors on its website, but said it would be taking steps to ensure buyers were 21 or older. 

    Major e-cigarette retailers Altria, Reynolds and Juul Labs have also expressed support in raising the legal tobacco buying age from 18 to 21. 

    View the original article at thefix.com