Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Cases Of Vaping-Related Lung Illness Are Still Climbing But At A Slower Pace
Reuters: U.S. Vaping-Related Deaths Rise To 42, Cases Of Illness To 2,172
U.S. health officials on Thursday reported 2,172 confirmed and probable cases and 3 more deaths from a mysterious respiratory illness tied to vaping, taking the death toll to 42, so far this year. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,051 confirmed and probable U.S. lung injury cases and 39 deaths associated with use of e-cigarettes, or vaping products. (11/14)
NBC News: Vaping Illness Cases Rise Again, To 2,172, CDC Says
California and Illinois are the states that have reported the largest number of EVALI deaths so far, with four each. Last week, the CDC said it had found evidence of a synthetic form of vitamin E oil in lung fluid samples from patients. Of 29 samples tested, all 29 had extremely high levels of the oil. While it's a solid clue in the investigation into what is making people sick, it's not likely to be the only cause. (Edwards, 11/14)
NH Times Union: New Hampshire Has Highest Rate Of Teen Vaping
New Hampshire high school students vape more than teens anywhere else in the country, according to a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Four percent of high school students in New Hampshire vape at least once a day, according to the most recent available Youth Risk Behavior Survey, from 2017 — higher than the national rate of 2.4%. (Albertson-Grove, 11/14)
The Oregonian: Oregon Bans On Both Flavored Nicotine And Cannabis Vaping Products Now On Hold
Gov. Kate Brown’s six-month ban on both flavored nicotine and cannabis vape products is on hold with new rulings Thursday by the Oregon Court of Appeals. “We’re very happy,” said Andrew DeWeese, the attorney representing Herban Industries, which sued over the cannabis vape oil portion of the ban. “It’s a win for the cannabis industry and it is, frankly, a win for the Oregon consumer.” (Zarkhin, 11/14)
CBS Baltimore: ‘Alarming’ Similarity Found Between Vaping Patients And 9/11 First Responders, Maryland Doctor Treating Lung Disease Says
The vaping crisis is sweeping the country, killing at least 42 people and sickening thousands in nearly every state, including Maryland. The number of people with vaping-related illness is rapidly increasing with almost 50 cases reported in Maryland alone. (Baker, 11/14)
Kaiser Health News: KHN’s ‘What The Health’: Spending Bill Slowdown
The fiscal year started a month and a half ago, but Congress has still not agreed on an annual spending bill for the Department of Health and Human Services – or any of the other annual spending bills that fund the government. Meanwhile, Congress IS moving on efforts to further restrict tobacco and vaping products, particularly to limit their marketing to underage users. The Trump administration has been vowing to use its own authority to crack down on a youth vaping epidemic, but so far has not acted. (11/14)
The Hill: Adult Cigarette Smoking Rates Hit All-Time Low In U.S.
Cigarette smoking among adults has hit an all-time low, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 13.7 percent of adults, or 34.2 million people, smoked cigarettes in 2018, slightly down from the previous year, according to the report. (Hellmann, 11/14)
