News

Sep 04, 2019

Summit County Public Health (SCPH) is urging residents to stop using any vape and/or e-cigarette devices immediately. Individuals from Ohio have been hospitalized with severe pulmonary illness. These individuals reported using vape products or dabbing (vaping marijuana oils, extracts, or concentrates) prior to hospitalization. However, at this time, the specifics of the products are unknown. Residents are strongly encouraged to not utilize any vaping products, especially those that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD).

Vaping and e-cigarette products of any kind contain cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead, and chemical flavorings linked to serious lung disease. The long-term health impacts for using these products are unknown but the immediate dangers of vaping are becoming increasingly evident and alarming in Ohio and across the nation.

Twenty five states, including Ohio, have recently reported cases of severe respiratory illness among teenagers and young adults with a history of vaping. Reported symptoms include cough, fatigue, dizziness, headache, vomiting and diarrhea, chest pain, and worsening difficulty breathing, sometimes requiring intensive care. Symptoms worsen over a period of days or weeks before admission to the hospital. A variety of vaping products associated with the illnesses have been reported across states, including products containing THC and CBD. Available evidence does not suggest that an infectious disease is the principal cause of the illness. Since August 29, 2019, 298 possible cases have been reported across 25 states.

The Ohio Department of Health is requesting health care providers who are seeing patients with suspected serious pulmonary illness of unclear etiology and who use vaping products report these suspected cases to their local health department (LHD) by the close of the next business day following patient presentation. Health care providers in Summit County can notify Summit County Public Health by contacting Leanne Beavers, Director of Clinical Health at 330-730-0045.

Residents with a history of vaping who are experiencing breathing problems should seek medical care immediately.
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