Vaping illnesses highlight unregulated e-cigarette market

With nearly 200 vaping-related lung disease injuries and one death across the U.S., the CDC’s investigation into e-cigarette harms is highlighting just how unregulated the market is for these relatively new tobacco and marijuana products, Politico reported.

So far, there have been no product recalls or other broad, public awareness campaigns to warn against the dangers of e-cigarette use, Politico noted, and there are scant details on the specifics of what’s causing the illness besides a link to vaping. And officials in the investigation don’t have much to go on, with few connections between the illnesses and, in some cases, an unlabeled plastic vaping tube.

The illnesses come after the FDA pushed back a review of e-cigarettes from 2017 to 2022, according to Politico, and no legal e-cigarette brands have undergone review as new products, flavors and varieties continue to hit store shelves. One e-cigarette company in particular, Juul, has come under fire for releasing fruity vaping flavors seemingly targeted toward teenagers.

The CDC is also reportedly considering a national alert.

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