The youth vaping epidemic and concerns with vaping lung problems have gained nationwide attention in the last couple of years. But according to internet data, such health issues have been reported for years on online forums.

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have been mining online data for information on health effects reported with vaping on online forums. According to the UC Riverside researchers, users of e-cigarettes have been reporting a variety of health problems, including vaping lung problems, for at least the last seven years. The researchers published their findings in the Journal of Medical Internet Research earlier this month.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2,506 people had been reported hospitalized in the U.S. due to e-cigarette lung illness as of mid-December.

Vaping-associated pulmonary illness (VAPI) gained recognition in the medical community mid-2019, but researchers found that data on e-cigarette health problems goes way back online, with many e-cigarette users reporting serious symptoms, including vaping lung problems.

“The sudden uptick in symptoms and conditions related to VAPI comes at least 10 years after e-cigarette products gained widespread popularity in the United States, including the rise in popularity of JUUL and marijuana vape products,” according to Prue Talbot, the lead researcher on the paper and professor of cell biology in the Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology at UC Riverside.

“Our data, which shows many of the symptoms characterizing the current patients have been reported online for at least seven years, suggests cases similar to those in the current VAPI epidemic have existed previously and been unreported or simply not linked to vaping.”

The data the researchers mined was widespread, posted online between January 2008 and July 2015 on an e-cigarette online discussion forum.

In more than 41,000 posts, about 45 percent were negative, 38 percent were neutral, and 17 percent were positive, the data showed.

E-cigarette users reported a slew of symptoms. The most-reported symptoms were:

• Headache
• Coughing
• Pain in throat
• Itching
• Malaise

A number of disorders were also reported, the top five of which were:

• Dehydration
• Asthma
• Pharyngitis
• Common Cold
• Aptyalism

Filing a Vaping Side Effects Lawsuit

If you or someone you love have suffered from vaping lung problems, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these complications, nor can it bring a loved one back to life, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more, as well as hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially while dealing with serious health complications, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.