More than 500 people were reportedly diagnosed with vaping related illness in the United States. The tally of people suffering from lung diseases has jumped from 380 to 530 and an eighth death has also been reported. The death reported is of a man in his 40's which reportedly took place this week in Missouri. The other cases involved patients under 25 years and 16 per cent of those who took ill were allegedly under age 18. Canada also reported its first case on September 19, of a high school student who was on life support but fortunately recovered. 

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E-cigarettes: A Safe Alternative?

Flavoured vaping liquids appeal mostly to children and risk them getting addicted to nicotine. E-cigarettes are believed to be a safe alternative to smoking but the risk is still insufficiently understood. All patients admitted had allegedly used an electric cigarette or a vaping device. The doctors reportedly said that the illness resembled an inhalation injury with the lungs reacting to a caustic substance. The US Food and Drug Administration laboratories are allegedly testing samples of the product but are yet to identify the substance responsible for the patient's disease. 

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Ban of e-cigarettes

Most of the vaping products contain THC, the principal compound in cannabis. The patients who were admitted have been reported to be linked with vaping THC. The refills for the e-cigarettes are mostly found online or purchased on the street since cannabis is illegal in many parts of the United States. Many patients had reportedly cannabis-lace electronic cigarettes but they claimed that they had only used the nicotine products. The state of New York banned the use of the vaping devices on September 17, following to which Los Angeles also recommended a ban citywide on the flavored tobacco products. India had also announced a ban on the use of electronic cigarettes on Wednesday. Concerns did reach the halls of the US Congress, prompting Democratic and Republican lawmakers to take steps of launching a bipartisan group to reduce youth vaping. 

House Democrat and group co-founder Raja Krishnamoorthi said while welcoming the recent announcement made by the US President Trump on the nationwide ban on e-cigarettes, "The victims cut across party lines, ethnic lines, socioeconomic lines, geography, race and ethnicity. It's such a big epidemic that everybody's affected at this point.

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(With inputs from PTI)