Vaping illnesses on rise

CDC, USDA joint statement urges halt in e-cigarette use after 200 suspected cases

State health officials are investigating the role that a substance called vitamin E acetate may have played in the rising number of vapingrelated illnesses being reported statewide and nationally this summer.

As of Friday, 27 cases of severe respiratory illness associated with e-cigarette use have been reported in New York since June, the state Health Department said. That’s up from 11 cases announced just two weeks ago. Four of them have been in the Capital Region.

The news comes as federal health agencies are investigating a spate of more than 200 possible cases of vaping-related illness reported nationwide since June. The illness is severe: A person in Illinois died last week after being hospitalized, and others have needed supplemental oxygen or assisted ventilation.

The development has alarmed public health officials, who don’t yet know what is causing the illness and worry that contaminated or adulterated product may have recently entered the market.

On Friday, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a joint statement urging anyone who is concerned about the potential health risks to stop using e-cigarette products immediately. They also cautioned against buying products on the street or modifying them by adding substances not intended by the manufacturer.

“We are working closely with state and local health officials to investigate these incidents as quickly as possible, and we are committed to taking appropriate actions as a clearer picture of the facts emerges,” the agencies said.