Experts ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ That Vaping Illnesses Are Trending Downward Nationwide
While no single product or substance has been associated with all of the cases, the majority are linked to THC-containing products. An investigation in Massachusetts connected six patients with products from state-licensed dispensaries, but officials later conceded that the consumers may have used illicit products as well.
The Wall Street Journal:
Vaping-Related Lung Illnesses Appear To Have Peaked
The rate of new hospital admissions for vaping-related illnesses has dropped in the past several weeks, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suggesting that the outbreak is on the decline. Doctors, cannabis-industry analysts and other experts say the trend is most likely explained by wider awareness, changing consumer habits and a potential shift in the illicit market. (Abbott, 12/6)
CNN:
Vaping-Related Lung Injuries Not Linked To Any Single Brand, CDC Says
No single product or brand is responsible for the thousands of vaping-related lung illnesses reported across the United States, according to a report released Friday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Nationally, Dank Vapes were the most commonly reported THC-containing product by hospitalized EVALI patients, but a wide variety of products were reported, with regional differences," the CDC said in its report. The agency uses the term EVALI as shorthand for "e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury." (Erdman, 12/6)
CNN:
Vaping-Related Lung Injury Cases Linked To Licensed Dispensaries In Massachusetts
A state investigation into vaping-related lung injury cases in Massachusetts has found that vape products used in six probable cases were purchased legally from dispensaries. All of the products contained THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive component of cannabis. (Howard, 12/6)
Boston Globe:
Mass. Health Officials Concede Lung Patients May Have Used Illicit Vapes, Too
The admission, along with a Friday agreement by the state Department of Public Health to release detailed information about the cases to the state Cannabis Control Commission, headed off a highly unusual public confrontation between the two Massachusetts agencies. But the deal prohibits any immediate public release of the data, meaning uncertainty about the real cause of the six cases could linger for weeks or longer. Along with earlier conflicting warnings from health officials, the latest back-and-forth promises to further bewilder consumers about which vaping products are safe and which might make them sick. It also risks undermining confidence in the ability of Massachusetts authorities to manage a fast-evolving public health crisis. (Adams, 12/6)
The Hill:
Massachusetts Links Vaping Illnesses With State-Regulated Marijuana
Federal health officials have mainly pointed to black market THC products as a likely culprit of the mysterious vaping illness, though at least one death has reportedly been linked to oil bought legally at a dispensary in Oregon. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), products containing THC, particularly from “informal sources” such as friends, family or in-person or online dealers, are linked to most of the cases and have played a major role in the outbreak. (Weixel, 12/6)
The Hill:
Fight Against Flavored E-Cigarettes Goes Local
State and local governments are moving to ban flavored e-cigarette products in response to the Trump administration’s lack of action on rising youth vaping rates. The bans are being pushed by influential anti-tobacco advocates and public health groups, who argue flavors like mint and fruit have helped create a youth vaping epidemic. (Hellmann, 12/7)
