Yesterday it was reported that a 55-year-old LA County man had become the fifth person to die from a suspected vaping-related illness, after suffering from a number of chronic health conditions at the time of his death, the Daily Mail reported.
Just a few hours prior to the man's passing, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), held a briefing altering people the rise of severe lung illnesses that were connected to e-cigarette use. Here, the CDC said revealed that the number of reported cases had more than doubled in the last week to 450, from just over 200.
This teen says his vaping habit led to him being admitted to the ICU:Per People, Dr. Dana Meaney-Delman, incident manager of the CDC’s response to the vaping-related lung injuries, has said of the cases:
"While this investigation is ongoing, people should consider not using e-cigarette products. People who do use e-cigarette products should monitor themselves for symptoms, for example, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea and vomiting — and promptly seek medical attention for any health concerns."
In most of the cases, the individuals had vaped with THC - the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. Although, some patients had used a mixture of THC and nicotine, and a smaller number had used just nicotine alone, Dr Meaney-Delman revealed.
As of this writing, no specific devices or chemicals have been specifically linked to the outbreak, but experts are focusing on products being circulated on the black market that contain vitamin E oil.
Now, an 18-year-old by the name of Simah Herman has attempted to start an anti-vaping campaign from her hospital bed.
According to the teenager, she started having trouble breathing two weeks ago, and after her lungs failed, she was hooked up to a ventilator. In her own words, this is "all because of vaping". Herman shared her powerful message on Instagram, where it has since been liked more than 930,000 times.
Along with images of her in a hospital bed, she says:
"About 2 years ago I started having terrible nausea issues. that turned into being unable to eat, sleep and just live normally. 2 weeks ago I started having trouble breathing. It took 48 hours for my lungs to fail which led to me being put on a ventilator. This is all because of vaping.
"Vaping is advertised as 'a healthier alternative to smoking' which is false. whether it’s nicotine or weed vaping can be fatal. I was lucky. The doctors didn’t think I was going to make it but with prayers from family and friends, I pulled through after almost a week on a ventilator. No one thinks this will happen to them and neither did I which is why I kept vaping. It took less than 48 hours for me to be put in a drug-induced coma and a tube put down my throat because I could no longer breathe on my own."
She continues:
"The dangers of vaping are real and this can happen to you. Please don’t let it. It’s not easy to quit, nicotine is a very addictive chemical but the more you vape the more likely you are to end up where I did. Take action and don’t let this happen.
"Please tell your family and friends the dangers of vaping because no one realizes until they’re put in a situation so serious. I’m sharing my story so you don’t have to have your own. Get help please and if you need someone to talk to I'm here to help anyone who needs it. Don’t let vaping win. take back your life and quit smoking. it’s just not worth it."
(Herman also notes in her caption that she did not "end up having pneumonia", and that the signs of respiratory failure from vaping "make it look like pneumonia".)
If you vape or are looking to start vaping as an alternative to smoking, please make sure you read up on the facts. And if you are looking to quit smoking or vaping, speak to your doctor.
