The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is now including older age groups into its investigation of people with severe lung disease from vaping.
The DHS has 12 confirmed and 13 pending cases where patients reported vaping or dabbing (vaping marijuana oils, extracts, or concentrates) and were diagnosed with severe lung disease.
“We are continuing to interview patients so we can identify a possible cause,” said Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “All patients reported vaping prior to their hospitalization, but we don’t know all the products they used at this time. The products used could include a number of substances, including nicotine, THC, synthetic cannabinoids, or a combination of these.”
The severity of the lung disease varied among patients, but most cases included shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, cough, and weight loss. Some patients improved with care, but the long term effects are still unknown.
The link between vaping and lung disease is an ongoing investigation that the DHS is parenting with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to learn more about. For more information about e-cigarettes and vaping, you can go to Tobacco Is Changing.
