In 2016, the decision that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could regulate electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) was made. However, when these e-cigarettes hit the market, they quickly became popular among users who believed the contents of the cartridges or pods to be healthier than traditional cigarettes. The FDA set an initial deadline for the manufacturers of e-cigarettes to provide them with crucial health information from these products in 2016, but then extended this deadline to 2022. This allowed consumers to use these products without any knowledge of potential negative effects on their health.
“These products should be tested prior to becoming available to mass consumption,” says personal injury attorney Tim Miley of The Miley Legal Group. “Manufacturers have a duty to provide safe products to their consumers, but these companies could not provide any meaningful data to consumers about the safety of their products or any negative side effects, because they had not had the answers themselves.”
Since becoming available for public consumption, e-cigarettes have caused a health crisis among users. Individuals have been admitted to hospitals after a sudden onset of severe respiratory issues, including coughing, shortness of breath, as well as more serious lung injuries and even death.
Aside from the sudden rise in severe lung and respiratory injuries, the lack of scientific knowledge and understanding about the exact cause of these illnesses is extremely troubling to the scientific community. As a result, they are desperately searching for answers, answers that the makers of e-cigarettes should have been able to provide before placing their products on the market.
Recently, health officials have discovered one link between vaping and lung injuries: Vitamin E acetate. Vitamin E is an oil found in foods, such as almonds, and can provide health benefits when eaten. However, Vitamin E acetate is a thick substance that is turned into a vapor when it is heated to extreme temperatures. When someone breathes this oil vapor in, the vapor may then cool in the lungs, returning to its natural oil state—and causing severe damage to the lungs. Scientists are conducting further studies to determine exactly what is causing this serious health crisis among vape and e-cigarette users.
