Our law firm is handling cases of e-cigarette and vaping illness, as well as e-cigarette explosions. If you have suffered from vaping-related illness, we encourage you to contact the lawyers at Johnson//Becker.
(Sept. 26, 2019) On the heels of a vaping illness that was initially thought to have been linked to products that contain THC, a non-THC vaping death has occurred in Georgia. Though the cause is still undetermined, the broader vaping community is on edge.
The total number of vaping illness linked to vaping in the United States is now at 11. Health officials in Georgia reported the state’s first death on Wednesday. The person who passed away had a history of heavy nicotine vaping, but had not been a THC user.
Later on Wednesday, Florida officials reported its own death from the mysterious vaping-related illness. Other deaths have been reported in California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oregon.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) still does not know how or why e-cigarette use is causing severe health problems. The agency is working on 530 reported cases with new ones popping up each week, it seems. It is now noted that death has occurred in both THC users and non-THC users who vape. For a full timeline of vaping-related illness, click here.
As of right now, the CDC has analyzed 373 out of 530 cases of severe lung illness. Most are between the ages of 18 and 34 years old, at 67 percent; while 16 percent are under the age of 18. The majority of all cases, 72 percent, are male.
According to the CDC, symptoms mirror those of a cold or flu, with respiratory problems: cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Nationwide legislation targets flavored vaping products
The Trump administration announced it would be making plans to ban the sales of flavored e-cigarettes. Several states are scrambling to enact legislation that follows suit.
Michigan, New York, and Rhode Island have all banned flavored vaping devices. Massachusetts has enacted the most restrictive ban by stopping their sales for four months.
Massachusetts Governor Charline Baker said the state will “work with our medical experts to identify what is making people sick and how to better regulate these products to protect the health of our residents.”
San Francisco said in June it would be banning all e-cigarette sales.
Corporations back away from vaping
Philip Morris International was on the brink of merging with Altria that would have created the world’s largest tobacco company. However, the merger has since been called off.
Philip Morris International still plans to launch a heat-not-burn cigarette called IQOS.
Interestingly enough, Juul CEO Kevin Burns resigned amid concerns over the safety of Juul e-cigarettes. KC Costhwaite, a top Altria executive, has replaced Burns.
Juul expanded to 20 countries across the globe while under Burns’ directive. He still defends his product, that started as a startup. Juul stopped sales of its flavored products (other than tobacco and menthol) amid the increase and loose online restrictions that may contribute to teenage vaping.
Below is a timeline of the eleven vaping-related deaths in the United States
- The first victim was a man in Illinois who was said to have been using e-cigarettes to smoke THC.
- The second victim was a middle-aged resident of Oregon who recently started using e-cigarettes that contained cannabis oil.
- The third victim was in Indiana. Though not much is known about them, they were described as ‘elderly.’
- The fourth victim was a 65-year-old man in Minnesota who smoked e-cigarettes that contained THC.
- The fifth victim was a 55-year-old man in Los Angeles, California who used e-cigarettes with THC.
- The sixth victim was a woman in her fifties from Kansas.
- The seventh victim was a 40-year-old from Tulare, California.
- The eighth victim was a man in Missouri who had normal lung functioning until he started vaping in May. He died in September after being taken to the hospital in August.
- The ninth victim was a ‘regular vaper’ from Kansas.
- The tenth victim originated in Georgia, as outlined in this article. They had no history of using THC in their e-cigarettes.
- The eleventh victim stems from Florida but no information has been made available by the Florida Department of Health yet.
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If you or a loved one have suffered property damage, injury, seizures, or suffered lung illness from e-cigarettes or vape devices, you may want to speak with the lawyers at Johnson//Becker. We are currently accepting new e-cigarette lawsuits across the country, and you may be entitled to financial compensation.
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