Chemical found in marijuana vaping products, possible link to recent spike in lung illness

Health officials might be closing in on a common denominator in marijuana vaping products linked to a recent spike in severe lung illness.

New information released Thursday suggests that one chemical in particular, called “Vitamin E acetate,” could be extremely harmful when inhaled.

215 people have been hospitalized in 25 states in the last few weeks alone with severe lung conditions, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

“Some as benign as coughing, shortness of breath but other more serious with lung collapse, respiratory failure a need for mechanical ventilation and some of those severe things,” said Dr. Jacob Kaslow, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

Public health officials have been racing to figure out the cause of the sudden spike in lung illness across the country.

The New York State Department of Health announced Thursday that nearly all the product samples inhaled by patients experiencing extreme symptoms had high levels of Vitamin E acetate, an oil derived from Vitamin E. The department added the chemical had been inhaled through a THC-containing vape product.

Vitamin E acetate is a commonly available nutritional supplement not known to cause harm when ingested or applied to the skin. However, the FDA is now investigating its health effects when inhaled.

So how do you know if a vape product contains Vitamin E acetate? According to a local dispensary and vape shop, it would most likely only ever be found in a product purchased on the black market or from a second-hand source.

“With the cartridges for THC, you don’t know what’s going into them if they’re purchased from the black market. You can go online right now and purchase the brand name cartridges, the packaging for them, you can fill them with whatever you want and you can sell that to someone who has no idea. Meanwhile, they’re under the guise that it’s a brand name product that’s tested when it’s not,” said Jas Rapan, employee, Vapor Door Palm Springs.

Anthony Carranza, a general manager at PSA Organica Palm Springs says people often get deceived by black market suppliers: “It could be pure the first few rounds and then the next few times the black market could fill it up their selves with canola oil.”

Vitamin E acetate should never be listed as an ingredient on a legal product. “This stuff doesn’t have any of that…in the ten years I’ve been vaping I’ve never heard of that,” said Rapan.

“We usually do suggest to come buy cartridges from actual shops whether it’s us or somebody else…because all our products that come into our facility have been lab-tested and been approved by the State of California,” added Carranza.

A spokesperson from the New York State Department of Health agreed, adding that Vitamin E acetate is not a permitted additive.

“It’s actually scary it’s your life…if you’re doing something that you think is a cheap deal but you’re killing yourself,” said Carranza.

Health officials haven’t ruled out other possible factors. In some cases in other states, it’s still not clear whether or not Vitamin E acetate had been inhaled by those experiencing symptoms. Officials say they’re still investigating and are urging the public to be vigilant about any vaping products and to contact a health care provider if any unusual symptoms develop.