Marijuana vape cartridges in California reportedly contain dangerous additives which could be responsible for e-cigarette lung damage.

Officials from the Golden State announced that they had seized cartridges from illegal ships in Los Angeles with unfortunate results. According to California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control, the illicit products were found to contain dangerous additives.

The agency reportedly tested random samples from over 10,000 illegal vape pens which were confiscated in Los Angeles raids. Of these thousands of vapes, 75 percent reportedly contained undisclosed additives. Among the additives was thickening agent vitamin E acetate, according to the bureau. This ingredient has been linked to e-cigarette lung damage and the ongoing mystery vape illness.

The testing also found that consumers may not have been getting the products they thought they were based on vape labels. In some of the samples, the THC oil was reportedly diluted by over one third due to the addition of additives.

THC is a cannabis compound found in the marijuana plant. Unlike CBD, which some people claim has healing or calming effects, THC is the part of marijuana responsible for the “high.”

Dilution of the products has reportedly caused the samples to have THC content far below what was advertised. For example, testing revealed that one cartridge contained only 33 percent THC despite claiming that the oil had up to 85 percent THC.

“The prevalence of dirty and dangerous vape pens at unlicensed cannabis stores demonstrate how important it is for consumers to purchase cannabis goods from licensed retailers, which are required to sell products that meet state testing and labeling standards,” said BCC head Lori Ajax.

Vitamin E Acetate & E-Cigarette Lung Damage

Although vaping has been touted as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, the recent vape illness casts doubt on the e-cigarette industry.

In 2019, the news was overcome with reports of a mysterious lung illness. Doctors reportedly had no clue what could be causing it and could only identify one common thread between the cases – e-cigarette use. Around the country, emergency department visits continued to rise until they peaked in September.

For some time, regulators from the FDA and CDC were uncertain as to what could be causing the e-cigarette lung damage. However, the CDC eventually announced that lung fluid samples routinely showed the same ingredient – vitamin E acetate.

Although vitamin E is commonly found in foods, supplements, and even cosmetics, the ingredient can reportedly be problematic when used in vaping products. According to the CDC, vitamin E acetate may interfere with lung function after it is inhaled. The ingredient may be found in THC containing e-cigarettes or in products from informal sources such as friends, family, and online vape dealers.

“Vitamin E acetate should not be added to any e-cigarette, or vaping, products,” the CDC states.

“Additionally, people should not add any other substances not intended by the manufacturer to products, including products purchased through retail establishments.”

Vitamin E acetate is “strongly” linked to the outbreak of vaping related lung damage, but the CDC reportedly continues to investigate the cases to rule out the contribution of other vape ingredients.