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Tag: vaping lung disease

  • FDA, DEA Partner For Probe Into Vaping Illnesses

    FDA, DEA Partner For Probe Into Vaping Illnesses

    The agencies are focusing on vaping manufacturers in order to “[follow] the supply chain to its source.”

    The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will assist the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in its investigation into the spate of vaping-related illnesses that have sickened more than 1,000 and claimed at least 18 lives.

    In testimony before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on September 25, acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Ned Sharpless said that the agencies will collaborate to determine “if someone is manufacturing or distributing illicit, adulterated products that caused illness or death for personal profit,” which would be considered a criminal act.

    FDA Waited Too Long To Review Vaping Products

    Sharpless acknowledged that the FDA should not have waited to review e-cigarette products, a decision which some lawmakers have said was a contributing factor in the rise of teen e-cigarette use.

    Sharpless’s testimony came on the heels of the FDA’s announcement of a criminal problem into the rash of vaping illnesses, which they announced on September 19. He mentioned that the decision to bring the DEA into the probe is due to the number of illnesses and deaths related to the use of vaping cartridges containing THC.

    As for the focus of the probe, Sharpless said that the agencies are focusing on vaping manufacturers in order to “[follow] the supply chain to its source.”

    Additionally, Sharpless said that the FDA plans to finalize a draft of new guidance for flavored vaping products. Warning letters will be sent to manufacturers that do not remove those products—save for those that are flavored like tobacco—from the market. Those that do not comply may be subjected to additional warning letters, as well as possible fines and injunctions.

    Why Did The FDA Take So Long to Act?

    But lawmakers on the subcommittee also wanted to know why the agency appeared to wait nearly three years in order to take action in regard to e-cigarettes.

    The FDA asked companies in 2016 to file applications to market products by August of 2018, but as STAT News noted, former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb shifted the agency’s focus to curbing nicotine levels in traditional cigarettes, while also delaying the marketing applications to 2022 (the deadline has since been moved to May 2020).

    In response to the subcommittee’s inquiries, Sharpless said that the “FDA should’ve acted sooner,” but added that the probe, and the addition of the DEA to its efforts, should help them “catch up.”

    “We will not rest until we have answers to the questions in the investigation, and until we have dramatically reduced the access and appeal of e-cigarettes to kids,” he said.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Brothers Accused Of Running Massive Illegal THC Vaping Operation

    Brothers Accused Of Running Massive Illegal THC Vaping Operation

    Authorities are only beginning to understand the scope of the Huffhines brothers’ massive operation.

    A recent bust of an illegal THC vape operation has bewildered authorities, also shedding light on what may be causing severe lung damage among vapers across the country.

    So far, over the last several months, health officials have counted about 400 possible cases of severe lung illness related to vaping, and six deaths. The cause is still being investigated, but state and federal officials suspect that contaminants found in products purchased on the black market are what have caused so many to fall ill.

    Now, the discovery of a meticulous and extensive illegal THC vape business operating out of Wisconsin has shed light on the lengths that some people will go to profit from this growing industry.

    Drugs, Guns & Cash

    Jacob and Tyler Huffhines, 23 and 20 respectively, ran the business out of a condo in Bristol and their family’s home in Paddock Lake. Authorities seized $59,000 in cash, eight guns, various illicit drugs, 57 mason jars filled with THC oil, and nearly 130,000 cartridges that were either empty or contained the THC oil.

    “When we walked in there, we were like, ‘Oh boy,’” said Capt. Dan Baumann of the Waukesha Police Department. “This is what we were looking for, but we did not know it was this big.”

    The Huffhines siblings were arrested on September 5 and remain in custody in Kenosha County Jail. Tyler has been charged with the manufacture, distribution or delivery of marijuana, and Jacob has been charged with cocaine possession and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    The massive operation produced close to 3,000 cartridges a day, employing at least 10 people who were paid $20 per hour to fill the cartridges with the THC oil, the New York Times reported. Each cartridge would sell for around $35 to $40.

    This bust was a major development as vaping-related illness has become something of a public health crisis in the U.S. as of late. Experts detailed to the Times how counterfeit vapes are assembled piece by piece to produce a convincing product resembling real vapes that are sold in legal marijuana states like California and Colorado. 

    Making The Counterfeits

    Everything from the empty cartridges to packaging made to resemble the real thing, logos and all, are purchased on the internet. Then the cartridges are injected with THC oil purchased in the U.S. The problem, authorities say, lies in producers wanting to reap the most profit by diluting their product. This is where the suspected contaminants come in.

    Authorities suspect that black market suppliers are cutting the THC oil with fillers, such as vitamin E acetate, a thickening agent that is one suspected cause of what has been sickening so many people who vape.

    Investigators are only beginning to understand the scope of the Huffhines’ operation, and the likelihood of there being more like it.

    The Times said, “Wisconsin police say they were stunned by the scope and ambition of the Huffhines operation, and [are] only beginning to understand how far it might have reached.”

    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

  • Is Vitamin E Behind The Wave Of Vaping-Related Illnesses?

    Is Vitamin E Behind The Wave Of Vaping-Related Illnesses?

    The New York Department of Health is on the hunt for the cause of the recent rash of vaping-related illnesses. 

    As reports of respiratory illnesses—and at least six deaths—related to the use of electronic or e-cigarettes continue to mount, and while lawmakers work to ban flavored vaping devices, health officials in New York have found “very high” levels of vitamin E acetate, a thickening agent, in many of the cannabis vape products used by the individuals who became sick.

    The state’s Department of Health announced that the acetate is now a “key focus” of their investigation, and submitted more than 100 samples to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for testing.

    As Leafly noted, Vitamin E is the umbrella term given to several similar types of oils called tocopherols. They can be extracted from vegetables or made synthetically from petroleum, and are most commonly used as a dietary supplement or as an ingredient in food and/or cosmetics, such as face creams. 

    Highly Toxic When Inhaled

    Though topical application of tocopherols can lead to some skin reactions, inhaling them is highly toxic and can lead to serious health issues. When inhaled, tocopherols adhere to the fluid that lines the interior of the lungs, preventing oxygen from entering the body, and causing cellular death. That, in turn, causes an immune system reaction that resembles pneumonia, with reported symptoms including cough, chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, fever and forms of gastrointestinal distress.

    While testing in state-run markets can prevent additives from being used in vape cartridges, they are not specifically banned in legal adult-use markets.

    Alex Dixon, the CEO of Floraplex, which makes a chemical thickener called Uber Thick, told Leafly that tocopherols could be found in vape cartridges in “every store in downtown Los Angeles, [and] just about any online sales platform you can think of.”

    CDC director Robert Redfield said that while vitamin E acetate has been found in many of the samples used by the sickened individuals, “People need to realize that it is very probable that there are multiple causes.”

    “No one substance, including Vitamin E acetate, has been identified in all of the samples tested,” the FDA added in a statement. “Identifying any compounds that are present in the samples will be one piece of the puzzle, but will not necessarily answer questions about causality.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • CDC, FDA Open Investigation Into Vaping-Related Lung Disease 

    CDC, FDA Open Investigation Into Vaping-Related Lung Disease 

    The federal agencies are investigating more than 200 cases to see if there is a “common cause or if they are different diseases with similar presentations.”

    As vaping has picked up in popularity in recent years, concerns around the habit have also increased. 

    Most recently, U.S. health officials have announced an investigation of up to 354 possible cases of severe lung disease associated with vaping. According to the Washington Post, the cases span 29 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a statement released Friday (Aug. 30).  

    However, the agencies say more information is necessary in order to conclude whether the lung illnesses are connected to a specific product. 

    “Even though cases appear similar, it is not clear if these cases have a common cause or if they are different diseases with similar presentations, which is why our ongoing investigation is critical,” CDC Director Robert Redfield and acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless said in the statement. 

    According to officials, such as Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, these possible connections between vaping and lung disease should not be overlooked. Azar says, “this situation, and the rising tide of youth tobacco use, is a top public health priority for the Trump Administration and every leader at HHS.”

    Counterfeit Products

    A CDC official said that the investigation is “starting to point to what solvents are being used, and that can vary a lot.” The official adds that this is especially concerning in counterfeit and black market products. 

    To avoid possible complications, the FDA says those who vape should not modify or add substances to e-cigarettes and should not buy any such substances off the streets. They should also remain vigilant of any health issues or concerns and seek medical intervention if they feel the need. 

    According to the Post, officials are encouraging those who use e-cigarettes to cease doing so and to talk to medical professionals about other options, such as nicotine gum or patches. 

    The CDC and FDA also noted that in many of the lung disease cases, the individual had also used THC or CBD. 

    “People need to stop using these illicit THC products now—and it’s the CDC’s responsibility to say what we do know,” Michael Siegel, a professor of community health services at Boston University, tells the Post. “Yes, there are unknowns. Yes, there may be other products implicated as well. But a large number [of confirmed cases] seem to involve THC oils purchased from ‘pop-up shops.’”

    New Territory

    State departments are working to gather and share information. Illinois Department of Health Director Ngozi Ezike tells CNBC that the investigation is “new territory.” 

    “We’re on the cusp of what we consider new territory in that this is not an illness or an association between vaping and acute respiratory illnesses that have been reported before or that CDC even collects information on,” Ezike said.

    According to the Post, the plan is for the CDC to create a data collection system for states and to “finalize an initial definition of a vaping-related lung injury or illness by week’s end.”

    View the original article at thefix.com