PORTLAND, Ore. — As of this week, four new cases of vaping-related illnesses have been reported in the Pacific Northwest; two in Spokane County, Wash. and two others in Oregon.
In total, Oregon has seen four vaping-related illnesses. One of those patients passed away.
Across the country, there have been a total of seven deaths, including the most recent which was reported in California.
The Centers for Disease Control have been monitoring the epidemic for several weeks now, and numbers of those sickened with vaping-related illnesses has fluctuated. The most current number sits at around 380 cases.
The CDC has created an Emergency Response Center specifically focused on the investigation of these illnesses.
According to the FDA and the CDC, "many" of these cases have involved vaping cartridges laced with THC oils. This includes the death of an individual in Oregon, who purchased their cartridge at a legal dispensary.
Even though many of those cases have been connected to THC, the CDC can't say for sure THC cartridges are fully responsible for all deaths and illnesses.
Several entities throughout the country have decided to ban e-cigarettes or flavored cartridges.
San Francisco banned e-cigarettes completely, meanwhile Michigan is banning flavored e-cigarettes. New York health officials approved an emergency ban on sales of flavored e-cigarettes out of safety concerns.
Pres. Trump announced he would place a national ban on flavored e-cigarettes, but there's no timeline for that ban.
Lastly, because the CDC has no concrete cause of what's causing these deaths and illnesses, they recommend you stop vaping immediately.
