The number of cases of vaping-related lung illness reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has decreased by 88% percent since peaking in Sept., according to a study from the New England Journal of Medicine.
But researchers note they are unclear if the decrease is due to a lapse in case-finding by state health agencies or a decline in overall cases. The study, published Dec. 20, looks at the number of hospitalizations from e-cigarette use between Jan. 1, 2017, to Dec. 7, 2019.
The research suggests that hospital visits associated with vaping began as early as Jan. 2017, and looked only at patients 11 to 34 years of age who were admitted to the hospital. Among those ages 10 to 19, the number of hospitalizations gradually increased from four per 1 million in the first week of Jan. 2017, to 83 per 1 million during the week of August 4, 2019.
Researchers note that 214 persons were admitted during the week of Sept. 15, which they say represented a peak in the number of cases of vaping-related illness reported to the federal agency. That number fell to just 26 reported cases the week of Nov. 24. T
he study was published the same day federal health officials said they now believe vitamin E acetate, an oil additive associated with black market marijuana vapes, caused a majority of cases of lung injuries.
The CDC officials cited data from another study published in the same journal that found vitamin E acetate in lung samples from 51 patients across 16 states. Meanwhile, the sale of certain vape products has resumed at retail stores in Massachusetts.
New regulations adopted by the Department of Public Health days after the bill was signed specify that convenience stores and gas stations can continue selling unflavored nicotine vapes so long as their nicotine concentration is less than 35 milligrams per milliliter of vaping solution. Unflavored vapes with nicotine concentrations of more than 35 milligrams per milliliter of vaping solution can only be sold at licensed, adult-only retail tobacco stores and smoking bars, according to the new regulations.
The Cannabis Control Commission also lifted its quarantine on marijuana-based vapes, allowing the sale of vapes that were recently manufactured and tested for contaminants, like vitamin E acetate.
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