Statewide Health Alert For Vaping After 9 In NJ Get Sick

NEW JERSEY – The New Jersey Department of Health this week sent a statewide health alert to health care providers and local health departments following recent reports of severe lung disease in people who have used vaping products.

The state Department of Health is investigating nine reports from healthcare facilities of severe lung illnesses in people who reported vaping, according to a release from the department.

Cases in New Jersey have been primarily reported among peoeple between the ages of 17 to 35 with no significant past medical history.

"This is a new investigation and we are working to gather as much information as possible," the department said. "We are working with the (Centers For Disease Control and Prevention) as we gather information to determine if these cases fit the clinical picture being described by other states."

The current risk to individuals who use vaping products and develop lung issues as described by CDC is currently not known, the release said.

However, there are inherent dangers with the use of e-cigarettes and vaping products, the release said. E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.

The CDC has issued an advisory on e-cigarettes, saying:

• The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.
• Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.
• E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.
• Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.
• The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.

What are e-cigarettes?

• E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air.
• E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid.
• Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. Larger devices such as tank systems, or “mods,” do not look like other tobacco products.
• E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).”
• Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called “vaping” or “JUULing.”
• Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items.

How do e-cigarettes work?

• E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol.
• The liquid used in e-cigarettes often contains nicotine and flavorings. This liquid is sometimes called “e-juice,” “e-liquid,” “vape juice,” or “vape liquid.”
• Users inhale e-cigarette aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales it into the air.
• E-cigarette devices can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.

What Is JUUL?

• JUUL is a brand of e-cigarette that is shaped like a USB flash drive. Like other e-cigarettes, JUUL is a battery-powered device that heats a nicotine-containing liquid to produce an aerosol that is inhaled.
• News outlets and social media sites report widespread use of JUUL by students in schools, including classrooms and bathrooms.

What are the other risks of e-cigarettes for kids, teens and young adults?

• Scientists are still learning about the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes.
• Some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could also be harmful to the lungs in the long-term. For example, some e-cigarette flavorings may be safe to eat but not to inhale because the gut can process more substances than the lungs.
• Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused some fires and explosions, a few of which have resulted in serious injuries.
• Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes.