The number of deaths from lung disease due to vaping has risen at least to 11 as both Florida and Georgia report fatalities from the rare form of pneumonia that has left experts struggling to identify the cause.
- The state of Georgia has announced the first vape-connected death in its area
- Florida also announced a death caused by vaping, which brings the U.S. total to 11
- The department of health said ‘the victim is older’ and had a history of extensive nicotine vaping, but no vaping THC history, linked to other victims
- More than 500 cases of respiratory illness have been linked to vaping across the country
- Georgia is currently investigating nine more cases while Florida is looking into 27
- Kevin Burns, the CEO of Juul has resigned over safety concerns connected with the e-cigarettes
- In August, Burns stated that the 200 vape-linked illnesses were ‘worrisome’
- Yet, he still came to the defense of his product and said Juul is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is currently investigating the illness
THE DANGERS OF VAPING
The flavorings used in e-cigarettes can damage blood vessels in the same way as heart disease, according to a study by Boston University.
The chemicals used to give flavors to the vapor may cause inflammation in artery cells, veins, and the heart.
They cause a reaction which emulates the early signs of heart disease, heart attacks or strokes, the study found.
Other studies have also found that e-cigarettes could cause DNA mutations which can lead to cancer, and enable pneumonia-triggering bacteria to stick to the lungs easier.
Scientists at New York University subjected lung cells and human bladder to e-cigarette vapor, which is advertised as being less harmful than tobacco.
The cells became cancerous and mutated much quicker than anticipated and mice exposed to the vapor also suffered strong damage to their DNA.
The number of deaths caused by vaping lung disease has risen to a minimum of 11 as Florida and Georgia report fatalities from the strange form of pneumonia that has left officials having a hard time to identify the cause.
Florida and Georgia have made the first deaths connected to vaping public. Georgia’s department of health said ‘the victim is older’ had a history of extensive nicotine vaping, but not using THC.
Source: DailyMail
