Vaping’s dangers loom large amid more than 50 U.S. deaths this year
E-cigarettes have enjoyed a reputation of being relatively harmless, at least among the public. But that began to change in 2019, when the first reported lung injuries and deaths linked to vaping provided a stark corrective. As of December 10, a total of 2,409 people from across the United States, many of whom were young and otherwise healthy, have been hospitalized, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And 52 people, including a 17-year-old, have died. 42019 Top 10See full list Federal health officials have announced a potential culprit: vitamin E acetate (SN Online: 11/8/19), added mainly as a thickening agent in vaping products containing THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the compound in marijuana that produces the high. Vapers should avoid THC, officials say, but the investigation is ongoing, and the illnesses may be due to more than one vaping ingredient. Whatever the final word on this type of lung injury, dubbed EVALI...