Number of vaping-related cases in Arizona climbs to 17

PHOENIX — The number of vaping-related lung illness cases in Arizona has climbed to 17.

The Arizona Department of Health Services reported nearly all of these cases have come from Maricopa County.

Dr. Daniel Brooks, medical director of the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center, said he has looked at 14 of the cases.

“Our experience is that most of these patients are really sick,” he said. “They’re admitted to the hospital. They end up in the intensive care unit.”

Brooks said there isn’t enough data yet to identify trends. However, he said most patients are in their 20s and 30s, with a few of them in high school. They’ve used vaping products that contained tobacco or marijuana.

“The two that we were directly involved in had life-threatening lung injuries,” Brooks said. “They were on breathing machines. They were incredibly unstable for many days, and they were lucky to survive.”

The number of vaping-related cases in Arizona could continue to climb. Brooks said his office so far this year has gotten nearly 500 calls related to patients who’ve experienced symptoms that could be due to vaping.

Nationwide, more than 2,170 vaping-related cases have been reported, as well as 42 confirmed deaths, to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No deaths have been tied to vaping in Arizona.

The CDC has identified vitamin E acetate as a possible ingredient that’s triggering the lung injuries and death in most of these cases. Vitamin E acetate is used as an additive, most notably as a thickening agent in electronic cigarettes and other vaping products that contain THC.

Brooks said he is concerned about the long-term health risks associated with vaping. He said vaping not only puts people at risk for severe life-threatening lung injury, it also increases their risk for cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease and reactive airway disease.

“Vaping is a significant health risk,” he said. “If you’re doing it, stop. If your kids are doing it, stop them. Educate them and don’t start. This isn’t healthy.”

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