ALBANY – State health officials are investigating the rising number of vaping-related illnesses being reported statewide and nationally this summer.
According to the Albany Times-Union, there have been 27 cases of severe respiratory illness associated with e-cigarette use reported in New York since June, with more than 200 possible cases of vaping-related illness reported nationwide during the same time period.
The illness is severe: A person in Illinois died last week after being hospitalized, and others have needed supplemental oxygen or assisted ventilation.
Health officials don’t yet know what is causing the illness and worry that contaminated or adulterated product may have recently entered the market.
Last week the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a joint statement urging anyone who is concerned about the potential health risks to stop using e-cigarette products immediately. They also cautioned against buying products on the street or modifying them by adding substances not intended by the manufacturer.
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