(Newswire.net — September 18, 2019) — The CDC has stepped up their probe into the recent vaping deaths after a 7th person has died from a vaping-related illness. Deaths have occurred all over the country, and California is the most recent state to have a vaping-related death.
A 40-year-old man died from complications relating to e-cigarettes over the weekend.
The same day that the death was announced, California officials launched a $20 million ad campaign to warn against vaping dangers. But legal sales of the products may not be to blame for the recent string of deaths.
THC Black Market Concerns
Vaping remains a growing market, and we’re seeing a lot of black-market activity. People are trying to cash in on the market, and just days ago, police in Wisconsin busted a major black-market THC operation.
The operation included 10 employees who were filling up to 5,000 vape cartridges a day.
Illegally operated, these operations do not have the same oversight or production quality requirements that we see with licensed vape liquid production. The bust included over $1.5 million in THC product from a single residence.
Refined THC liquid is put into cartridges and sold on the black-market.
Vaping industry insiders are blaming these black-market sales for the recent deaths in the industry. Wisconsin had 34 cases of illnesses, 12 additional cases under investigation and is a state that has experienced severe lung illnesses.
Authorities in 33 states are investigating the matter, with 450 cases of illness nationwide and a total of seven deaths.
New York Investigators Find a Link
Investigators are still working on finding the direct link to the recent rush of illness and death. New York investigators found one link: vitamin E acetate. Vitamin E acetate was found in many THC-containing products and at least one victim was found to have the substance in their body.
THC products are very popular on the black-market, and is the likely cause behind the recent rise in illness and death.
Additional samples collected from patients that have been admitted to hospitals with vape-related illness have shown that the oil was in their bodies. Nearly all cannabis samples from patients in New York found the oil present.
The oil is naturally found in olive oil, almonds and canola oil. Scientists claim that the oil is safe when applied to the skin or ingested, but inhaling the oil can be harmful due to the molecular structure of the oil. The oil can lead to respiratory hazards, including shortness of breath and chest pain.
Nicotine Products Found to Contain Nothing Unusual
FDA officials conducting lab tests announced last Wednesday that they found nothing unusual from nicotine products that were collected from sick patients. The findings indicate that the black-market is likely to blame for the backlash facing the vaping industry.
Doctors and officials claim that they’re trying to encourage people to stop vaping until the cause of the recent outbreaks is pinpointed.
Only one person who was sick from vaping was found to have purchased his marijuana oil from a legal dispensary. State and federal authorities are focusing on counterfeit substances, claiming that it is one of these substances that is likely the cause for recent death and illness spikes.
The issue is that many who have become ill use both nicotine and marijuana products, so it makes pinpointing the issue even more difficult. THC, cannabinoids, cutting agents, pesticides, additives, poisons, toxins and even opioids are chemicals that are being analyzed by FDA officials.
Officials are leaning towards the black-market being the main cause of deaths and illnesses in the vaping industry. BBC reports that users have warned others that the black-market is the cause of recent illnesses.