The First Vaping Deaths Have Been Reported

The First Vaping Deaths Have Been Reported

Amid the numerous hospitalizations reported in recent weeks, the first death due to vaping has been reported. Since e-cigarettes first reached the market, they have been touted as a “safer” alternative to traditional tobacco products. Despite this common moniker, vaping is far from safe. Ever since people first saw the product, people were skeptical about the claims made by these e-cigarette companies. To this day, there is still a lot of research being performed regarding the long-term health consequences related to these products. On the other hand, the acute impacts of vaping appear to be a bit clearer. Dozens of people have ended up in the hospital in recent weeks. Now, it appears that vaping deaths are occurring.

Vaping Deaths: The First Reported in Illinois

People have been hospitalized across the country in recent weeks with a mysterious respiratory illness. Investigations performed by medical professionals revealed that the only common link was vaping. While it is unclear exactly how vaping led to these severe symptoms, the consequences have been harsh. The Illinois Department of Public Health recently reported that one of these hospitalized individuals had passed away.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) is keeping a close watch on the situation; however, they have not reported any deaths related to vaping prior to this announcement. Even though an autopsy has not yet been performed, people are already speculating that the death is related to vaping. Without a doubt, the landscape of the investigation into a link between vaping and the recent hospitalizations has changed. Now that the mysterious respiratory illness has proven deadly in some situations, the pressure to get the bottom of this disease will likely increase.

Watch YouTube Video: Take a moment to watch this short video related to the Illinois story stated above about a death occurring due to vaping.

The Reports of Vaping Illnesses are Increasing

Ever since the first hospitalizations were reported a few weeks ago, people became concerned. Unfortunately, the Illinois Department of Public Health has reported that the number of people hospitalized with this mysterious respiratory illness in their state alone has doubled in the past week. It is likely that similar numbers are being seen across the nation.

Health and government officials are urging people to use extreme caution when using vaping and e-cigarettes. Some of the symptoms that people are reporting include a severe cough, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue. Other individuals are also reporting symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Officials are urging anyone with these symptoms to see their doctor immediately. If the symptoms start to worsen, people might end up in the hospital. In severe cases, people are moved to the intensive care unit and might require mechanical ventilation.

The Recent Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Over the past few months, there have been numerous concerns raised related to vaping. Initially, the CDC announced that more than 150 people had been hospitalized in more than a dozen states across the country, including in California. Just a day later, that number had been increased to almost 200 in close to half of the states across the nation.

One of the concerns is that people are possibly vaping a substance called THC. This is the psychoactive substance in marijuana that gives the drug its famous “high.” It is not clear at this time if the death in Illinois was related to vaping THC. Regardless, the concerns surrounding vaping remain.

Furthermore, many of the people who have been hospitalized with this mysterious lung condition did not have any prior health concerns. This makes this disease especially concerning. Many of the doctors are even saying that previously healthy children have been hospitalized with this mysterious vaping illness.

This information comes on the heels of numerous lawsuits that have been filed against vaping companies. Unfortunately, many of the people who use e-cigarettes are children. It even appears that much of the marketing done by these companies target children, who are particularly vulnerable. These lawsuits will hold these companies liable for their products. Hopefully, this will happen before any other vaping deaths occur. 

Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento personal injury lawyer. Sadly, the first vaping deaths have been reported. If your loved one has required hospitalization following the use of electronic cigarettes, please call me today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.