Black market cannabis products may be the cause of a mysterious outbreak of vape-related lung diseases, according to health officials. There are now more than 200 cases of the illness and seven deaths. The first death was reported in late August in Illinois.
According to New York's health department, laboratory test results showed high levels of vitamin E oil in cannabis cartridges. The cartridges were used by all 34 people in the state who developed the mysterious illness.
Vitamin E acetate is now a "key focus" of the department's investigation into the causes of the illnesses that have affected hundreds of people.
Vitamin E acetate is a nutritional supplement that is readily available over the counter. It's typically taken orally or applied topically. Because vitamin E oil is an oil, it should not be heated or inhaled.
The New York Health Department has noted that many of the products linked to the illnesses are believed to be counterfeit THC products. The department has released photos of the products, which show the labels of "Chronic Carts" and "Dank Vapes."
Reputable vape shops, including Vape4Ever, stress the importance of choosing a reliable vape shop when purchasing cartridges.
Patients have reported symptoms such as difficulty breathing and chest pain before being hospitalized and put on life support. Some of these patients also experienced diarrhea, vomiting and fever.
Fortunately, most of the patients have responded favorably to steroid treatment and are recovering well.
News of the link between THC products and the mysterious illnesses comes as Wisconsin police are investigating whether a THC-infused vape cartridge manufacturing operation may be partly to blame for the outbreak.
Tyler Huffhines and Jacob Huffhines were arrested earlier in the month after investigators found that both were involved in the manufacturing of THC-infused vape cartridges.
Police seized about $1.5 million worth of drugs and 31,000 vape cartridges that were filled with 1 gram of liquid THC. They also seized 100,000 empty cartridges and 57 mason jars filled with THC oil. Reportedly, the cartridges had bright-colored wrapping designed to mimic candy.
The operation was discovered after a high school boy contacted the authorities. The information he provided ultimately lead to the Huffhines brothers.
It's still unclear whether the cartridges in the operation are linked to the mysterious illnesses, but the investigation is ongoing. More arrests are expected as investigators seek out others who are linked to the massive operation, which produced 3,000-5,000 cartridges per day.
