COLUMBUS – The Ohio Department of Health is investigating reports of six Ohioans who experienced severe pulmonary illness following the use of e-cigarettes, or vaping.
Health officials are asking healthcare providers to report all suspected cases of serious pulmonary illness where the cause is unclear and the patient has a history of vaping.
According to the CDC, symptoms of the illness include cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue. In some cases, symptoms worsened over a period of days or weeks and required hospitalization.
Recently the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert about pulmonary illnesses linked to vaping in at least 16 states.
“We are seeing a tremendous increase in vaping among our youth, which is a public health crisis,” said ODH Director Amy Acton, MD, MPH. “There is a perception that vaping is safe, and these reports of serious pulmonary illness linked to e-cigarette or vaping product use show that this is simply not true.”
Besides nicotine, e-cigarette aerosol that users breathe in can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including cancer-causing chemicals.
“Anyone who thinks that they may be experiencing serious breathing problems linked to vaping should seek immediate medical attention,” said Dr. Acton.
