Wisconsin health officials say the adverse health effects of vaping may include lung-related illnesses such as those being reported to the state’s public health agency.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WisDHS), doctors have reported eight cases of teenagers with severe lung problems. All of the teenagers, who show similar symptoms and signs of lung damage, reportedly had a history of e-cigarette usage.

Symptoms experienced by the teenagers reportedly include coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, disordered eating, and chest pain. These problems reportedly lasted for weeks or months and got progressively worse, prompting the youths to seek medical attention. Imaging of the teenagers’ lungs reportedly showed severe lung damage.

The WisDHS reportedly ruled out the possibility of an infectious outbreak, but the cause still remains unclear. The department theorizes that e-cigarettes may be the cause as this is the only known link between the patients.

“All patients reported vaping in the weeks and months prior to hospital admission. The names and types of products used remain unknown, and patient interviews are ongoing,” the WisDHS said in the advisory. “Clinicians are encouraged to remain alert for potential cases among persons presenting with progressive respiratory symptoms who report a history of inhalation drug use, particularly vaping.”

Medical Community Says Vaping Isn’t Safe

The adverse health effects of vaping are a source of debate and contention. Individuals within the tobacco industry maintain that e-cigarette products are safe but doctors and health officials don’t agree.

In December 2018, Surgeon General Jerome Adams released an advisory declaring youth vaping to be “an epidemic in the United States.” This was only the fourth advisory released by the Surgeon General office in the last decade.

According to Yale Medicine, e-cigarettes may be healthier than traditional cigarettes, which contain more than 7,000 chemicals and several carcinogens. However, vaping products still contain nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.

Although vaping is sometimes marketed as a way for adult smokers to stop smoking, Yale reports that this usage has not been proven. In fact, young teenagers who start vaping are reportedly more likely to later smoke cigarettes.

“The addiction to nicotine and later conversion to (or dual use with) regular cigarettes are the greatest concerns,” said Roy S. Herbst, M.D., chief of medical oncology at Yale Cancer Center.

JUUL Under Fire

More recently, manufacturers such as JUUL Labs have come under fire for allegedly encouraging young consumers to use its products. Early marketing materials from JUUL reportedly used social media, bright colors, attractive flavors, and other youth-targeted techniques to market their e-cigarette products to young people, who may not even realize that the adverse health effects of vaping can catch up with them through “JUULing.”

Teens may not even know that JUUL pods contain nicotine, which are the replaceable cartridges that contain the vape juice. These pods  contain the same amount of nicotine as an entire pack of traditional cigarettes. Regulators have started to take action against e-cigarettes  but young consumers may already be dealing with nicotine addiction.

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