Michigan recently became the first state to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes due to concerns over the adverse health effects of vaping.

Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer reportedly directed the move due to recent reports of mystery illness linked to vaping. According to CNBC, the state’s health department will be implementing additional restrictions which prevent vaping companies from advertising their products as “clean,” “safe,” “healthy” and “harmless.”

Whitmer enacted the flavored e-cigarette ban using her executive authority as governor. She has the power to impose a six month ban which can be renewed for another six months after it expires. However, Whitmer reportedly hopes that the state’s lawmakers will take matters into their own hands and enact formal laws that enforce the ban.

“As governor, I’m going to do it unilaterally until I can get the legislature to adopt a statute and write it into law,” Whitmer told MSNBC in an interview. “This is too important.”

According to Science Alert, concerns over adverse health effects of vaping have increased as more people around the country are getting sick with an unexplained lung illness linked to e-cigarette use. The first signs of illness can reportedly be traced to 53 patients in April, according to an investigation by Illinois and Wisconsin health departments.

The young victims, with a median age of 19, were admitted to the hospital after complaining of coughing, chest pain, and/or shortness of breath. Their health reportedly deteriorated quickly and a third of the initial patients had to go on respirators.

Some of the ill reportedly developed acute respiratory distress syndrome. According to the American Lung Association, this rapidly progressing disease often occurs as a result of trauma to the lungs and causes fluid to leak into the lungs. This makes it difficult for the lungs to work as intended, meaning that blood cannot be oxygenated effectively.

The first death connected to this vaping illness was reported by Illinois officials on Aug. 23. The second death occurred in early September in Oregon. Officials say that the Oregon man died after vaping marijuana oil.

As of Sept. 10, a sixth person died as a result of vaping-related illness. According to NBC, the latest death happened in Kansas. The now-deceased woman reportedly had a history of medical problems but nothing that would indicate the developing acute respiratory distress syndrome within a week of starting to use e-cigarettes.

“We’ve allowed industry to addict a new generation of people. That has had enormous public health impact,” Dr. Rose Marie Robertson, the deputy chief science and medical officer for the American Heart Association, told NBC.

Many regulators and doctors have theorized that this illness outbreak can be linked to marijuana products. States that have legalized marijuana have THC vape juice available for purchase, but states where the products have not been legalized may be more prone to street products of varying quality.

If marijuana oil is not properly processed into vape juice, it can have serious consequences. Even a small amount of leftover oil in the products can result in serious lung damage. Although this is the running theory, authorities are still investigating the issue and have not released the official cause of the illnesses. While the investigation is ongoing, authorities have recommended that people remain mindful of the adverse health effects of vaping and even stop the use of e-cigarettes until the mystery is solved.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.