Health

using these devices for over a decade. Some of the first were manufactured in China and you actually could smell the burning if you didn’t change the cartridge soon enough or because the device was overheating.

And yet, never before, and so far only among young people, has there been this tragic result. Thousands modify devices, even create their own. That too has been going on for years.

Edit: age range in those seriously affected goes up to 38, so...parents of younger patients said they had been vaping tobacco, marijuana, and home made “concoctions.”

Clove cigarettes, which were mistakenly thought safe, did lead to some cases of popcorn lung. I wonder if some liquids have a similar substance in them. Since the devices and liquids are not regulated, we can’t know.

I am not endorsing vaping. Especially not for youth and not for any non-smoker or smoker able to
quit with medically safe alternatives or cold turkey. For adult smokers who can’t quit, as a last resort, e-cigarettes may have less ill effects than regular cigarettes. They have not been in use long enough, studied credibly and long enough to know.