Vaping Data Shows a Rise in E-Cigarette-Related Injuries
More than 35 million people around the world are vaping. That’s up from just seven million e-cigarette users in 2016. With the exploding popularity of vaping, we’ve seen an outbreak of health scares – some of which have been deadly.
From lung injuries to exploding parts, e-cigarettes aren’t as safe as people assume. While they may still be a healthier alternative to cigarettes (some research shows), we still don’t know the long-term effects.
If you or someone you love is vaping, it’s important to stay on top of developments in the recent health scare.
Exploding E-Cigarette Parts
Most of the public has been focused on the recent outbreak of a mysterious lung illness, known as EVALI (more on that soon). However, there have also been cases where e-cigarette parts have exploded and injured or even killed people.
A 17-year-old was severely injured when an exploding e-cigarette battery shattered his jaw. The teen turned to vaping as a way to quit smoking cigarettes. The force of the explosion knocked out several of the teen’s teeth and shattered his jaw.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), these types of explosions occur when the lithium-ion battery that powers the device overheats. The FDA regulates all tobacco products, which includes e-cigarettes.
In one instance, an exploding e-cigarette killed a 24-year-old Texan. The man was allegedly using a mod on his vaping device when it exploded in the parking lot outside of a vape shop. The man was there to ask for help with his device.
Fragments from the exploding e-cigarette cut a blood vessel in the man’s neck. He later died from a stroke at the hospital.
A study published in Tobacco Control showed that emergency rooms saw 2,305 injuries from e-cigarette explosions and burn injuries.
A Growing Number of Lung Injuries
The vaping industry has faced public scrutiny in recent months after an outbreak of lung injuries was linked to e-cigarette use. So far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 2,172 cases of EVALI (e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury) in 49 states.
As of November 13th, 2019, 42 people have died in the outbreak.
EVALI isn’t the only lung injury e-cigarette users should be worried about. In November, a 28-year-old man died from pneumonia. Doctors say his illness was more than likely caused by vaping. The man’s lungs were “whited out.”
In this man’s case, there were no drugs, alcohol or THC involved.
Vaping-related illnesses and injuries are on the rise. The CDC’s investigation is ongoing, and the agency will continue providing updates on developments.
