LOS ANGELES, CA – Amid the vaping crisis that has already taken several lives, Los Angeles area officials might ban all flavored tobacco products.
Authorities and medical experts all around the US have spent the summer alerting against vaping. This came as a surprise after several people fell ill to a mysterious disease. Medical experts believe it is closely related to vaping devices. The growing concern over severe lung illness linked to vaping has become a matter of national interest.
Even though the exact cause of the medical issue is still unclear, 12 casualties have already been declared caused by vaping products. Meanwhile, 805 other patients have also been confirmed to have lung injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a respectable institution that works nation-wide, was responsible for releasing the data.
Most of the victims are young people, sometimes even teenagers or college students. Two out of three victims are between 18 to 34 years old. Hence, the situation is alarming parents all over the country, who try to prevent their children from trying any vaping-related products.
The proposed restrictions in the state of California would ban the sales of all flavored products, including menthol. The final vote of such a drastic proposal will take place today. But this only seems to be the first step to the ultimate goal, which would mean a temporary ban for the sale of all vaping products across the state.
If the ban in California goes through, the Golden Gate State would be joining several others that are already pushing back on e-cigarettes. These states include Massachusetts, where the Governor banned the sales for a four-month period, while experts try to shed some light on the cause of the diseases.
There has been some debate about the exact source of al these lung problems. Some are positive that the illnesses are closely related to products containing THC, a chemical found in marijuana that causes its characteristic psychotropic effects.
Some other studies have shown that the danger comes from oils derived from vitamin E. These were present in all the devices used by those who fell ill. Completely unregulated companies are to blame for selling these devices. Traces from toxic synthetic oils have been found in most of them.
Public health officials have advised against using e-cigarettes. While some people defend vaping over smoking, it is such a new trend that doctors still find it hard to anticipate the long-term effects that it may have.
JUUL, one of the main promoters of nicotine vaping devices, has recently released a communicate. The company announced the suspension of all kinds of advertising for their products. Meanwhile, other marijuana-vaping companies like PAX posted in their social media accounts. They reassured users about their strict safety regulations.
With the legalization of marijuana in California, many companies have sprouted with a focus on vaping products. All these companies might see the news of the banning as a thread to their economical viability.
The lung disease wave counts Ricky D’Ambrosia, a 21-year-old Roseville native, among the victims. He is currently in a medically induced coma and might need a lung transplant.
Meanwhile, among the casualties, there is a Los Angeles citizen, who has been described as an older adult with underlying health conditions. Officials declared that they firmly believe vaping was the potential cause of death.