If sucking on a USB-like device and leaving a cloud of marshmallow-scented smoke in your path is your 2019 vibe, you might want to think twice before you vape.
According to NBC news, 22 people in the U.S. have been hospitalised after their vaping led to coughing, shortness of breath and fatigue. A statement from the Illinois Department of Public Health reported that some patients even suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea, with symptoms worsening. Yikes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are working to determine what chemicals the patients may have inhaled. However, this could prove tricky considering e-cigarette manufacturers aren’t actually required to list the ingredients of their products.
“The short- and long-term effects of vaping are still being researched, but these recent hospitalisations have shown that there is the potential for immediate health consequences,” Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in the statement.
It’s not the first time trendy vapes have resulted in major health scares. Less than a week ago, the FDA announced that it was investigating 127 reports of seizures occurring after vaping or e-cigarette use.
While the agency doesn’t have enough information to determine if e-cigarettes are causing the reported seizures, they have encouraged the public to share information about unexpected health or product issues experienced with e-cigarettes or any tobacco product.
A report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that last year, some 4.9 million high school and middle school students used tobacco in the last 30 days – an increase from 3.6 million in 2017 – with e-cigarettes being the most popular product.
Vaping is clearly very ~hot~ right now, but with possible health effects still being so unclear, is it worth it?