A press release from the Utah Department of Health reported that the Utah resident vaped THC, a chemical contained in marijuana, prior to their death. The UDOH tellsAccording to the Centers for Disease Control, over one thousand cases of lung injuries related to electronic cigarette use have been reported. In 80 percent of cases, the victims were under 35 years old, and 37 percent of the sickened were 20 years old or younger.
In a statement Wednesday, UDOH state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn commented,"This death is a sad reminder of the severity of these unexplained illnesses."Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty In March, the Stop Appealing Flavors in E-Cigarettes for Kids Act was introduced by Senators Dick Durbin and Lisa Murkowski. Bolstered by bipartisan support, the bill would place strong restrictions on e-cigarette flavors to deter companies from encouraging children to try vaping.
While the Senate prepares to debate the SAFE Kids Act, New York state legislators have been working to ban the sale of flavored vape products within their jurisdiction. So far, those efforts have been unsuccessful. On October 3, an appellate court ruled that e-cigarette manufacturers could continue to sell their flavored products within the state.