Vaping-related illnesses surge as FDA discloses criminal probe

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Washington Post

Federal officials said Thursday that at least 530 people have now become sickened by a mysterious vaping-related lung illness, part of a growing national outbreak.

In a sign of the seriousness of the e-cigarette investigation, the enforcement arm of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has begun a parallel probe. Officials said they still do not know the cause of the lung injuries that are making people so sick. There have been seven confirmed deaths. But FDA officials disclosed Thursday that investigators from FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations have been pursuing a parallel investigation since the illnesses were first reported earlier this summer.

“The focus is on the supply chain,” said Mitch Zeller, director of FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. The office is not pursuing prosecution of people for personal use of any controlled substances, he said.

All reported cases had a history of e-cigarette or vaping use, officials have said. People have reported a history of using e-cigarette products containing THC, or using both nicotine and THC, and some have also said they only used nicotine products. Many people have said they used black market or illicit THC products.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/09/19/vaping-related-illnesses-surge-fda-announces-criminal-probe/?wpisrc=al_news__alert-hse--alert-national&wpmk=1

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/09/19/vaping-related-illnesses-surge-fda-announces-criminal-probe/?wpisrc=al_news__alert-hse--alert-national&wpmk=1

[mr_lebowski]

1. This is SUCH BULLSHIT reporting ... vaping black-market THC ... is NOT using E-CIGARETTES!

It's like calling MJ joints ... cigarettes. Yeah, technically, they are MJ cigarettes, but it's NOT what anyone thinks of when you say 'cigarettes'.

Yeah, 'some have said they used only nicotine products' ... and those people are LYING.

"Many people have said they used black market or illicit THC products."

Those are the people telling the truth.

This outbreak is caused by Vitamin E Acetate being used as a 'cut' in black market THC products. And the authorities KNOW IT, they are just being overcautious in stating it outright.

Simple logic dictates that this is a supply contamination, that's why it's very sudden, and isolated to one country, and concentrated in one area for the most part.

If it was an inherent issue with vaping of nicotine, this would be happening all over the world to many, many thousands of people, and would've started LONG AGO since people have been vaping since 2008.

This constant reporting blaming vaped nicotine (when there's NO EVIDENCE of this being the case) is bugging the crap outta me, case you can't tell.

You know what this reporting is accomplishing? The EXACT WISHES OF BIG TOBACCO.

[The Liberal Lion]

2. Sadly the damage to nicotine e-liquid vaping is done

The nation is once again being gas-lit. I am a vaper, and it makes me unhappy to see vaping coming under such an assault considering how it has helped me not only quit a 30+ year habit of smoking, but led me to an even further healthy life style after experiencing the positive health effects of vaping. The only solace I find, and in fact it's not much, is that 70% to 80% of vapers in America DID vote for donald trump, and now they are going to see the consequences of placing their trust in a conman.
Vaping will not die. There are DIY'ers like me who will make their own juice and continue to enjoy the pleasures of vaping, and the European market will be enough to keep the hardware market going. But for America, the damage is done. Those who might have been able to successfully quit smoking, like I did, with vaping will now continue down the path towards a horrible death and those who have never smoked and therefore do not understand the psychology of smoking (as opposed to merely nicotine addiction) will applaud the demise of this truly life altering and life enhancing technology. Sad

[jayfish]

3. The Fatal Damage Has Been Done But...

you can expect the stomping to continue. It's sad, confusing, frustrating, maddening, disappointing, etc., etc., etc. I don't understand it. ...at all.

[The Liberal Lion]

4. Honestly I don't know why vaping is coming under such an assault like it is

I have zero proof of anything, but I think we have been caught in a perfect storm of States bleeding money due to reduced revenues of big tobacco as it relates to the tobacco master settlement agreement, pharma losing marketshare for it's NRT products due to vaping's effectiveness as a smoking cessation device, and trump's trade-war with china with America being China's #1 market for vape hardware and America's inability to produce vape hardware of similar quality for an equal of less cost. Again I have no proof of this, but if I must guess this would be it.

Here is what I do know, it has NOTHING to do with health or illnesses or even this so-called teen vaping epidemic.

[Hekate]

5. So you think 80% of those sick/hooked high school kids voted for Trump & this is their punishment?

Good to know.

[The Liberal Lion]

6. What is the purpose of this post

You are conflating two separate phenomena into one, and showing you haven't a clue of either. Come back to me when you actually know what you are talking about.