Massachusetts reports third vaping death, bringing national toll to 40

A third fatality linked to vaping has been confirmed in Massachusetts, bringing the death toll in the US from mysterious lung illnesses linked to e-cigarettes to 40.

The unidentified victim, who was a man in his 50s and lived in Worcester County, vaped both nicotine and THC products, according to a release from the state’s Department of Public Health on Wednesday.  

State heath officials say they’ve received more than 220 suspected cases of vaping-associated lung injuries since September, when Massachusetts began mandating that these cases be reported.

As of Wednesday, 21 cases have been confirmed and 47 were deemed probable by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

It comes as the CDC released new figures on Thursday that showed there are now 2,051 confirmed and probable lung injury cases associated with use of e-cigarette, or vaping

Massachusetts health officials confirmed the state’s third fatality linked to vaping after an unidentified man in his 50s died from vaping both nicotine and THC products, bringing the nationwide death toll to 40 people in 24 states (red)

Most of the victims are male and under the age of 35, with ages of those who died ranging from 17 to 75, according to the report.

The CDC has only confirmed 39 deaths, with three each confirmed in California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota and two deaths each in Kansas, Massachusetts, Oregon and Tennessee.

Meanwhile, one death each has been confirmed in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington, DC. 

However, Massachusetts had reported the first two deaths last month – a woman in her 40s from Middlesex County and a woman in her 60s from Hampshire County – making the man’s death the third in the state.  

‘My condolences go out to the family of this patient who has died from a vaping-associated lung injury,’ said Dr Monica Bharel, the Massachusetts public health commissioner, in a statement.

‘This disease is serious and potentially fatal and we are continuing to investigate the cause.’  

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According to the CDC, about 86 percent of people who’ve fallen ill reported vaping THC, the main psychoactive component in marijuana.

By comparison, a mere 11 percent have reported exclusive use of nicotine-containing products. 

Most of the illnesses have resulted from people vaping a combination of THC and nicotine, health officials say. 

They add that teens and young people make up the majority of illnesses because flavored e-cigarettes were marketed towards them. 

Amid pressure, e-cigarette company JUUL announced last week it will no longer sell flavored pods like creme brulee, cucumber, mango, mint and fruit anywhere.

Meanwhile, New York, Michigan, Montana, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington have enacted temporary bans on flavored e-cigarette products. 

Massachusetts outdid them all when Governor Charlie Baker declared a public health emergency and enacted a ban all vaping products, flavored or non-flavored. 

However, on Tuesday, a Superior Court judge ruled that the ban had to be lifted by next week for medical marijuana users.

Additionally, the so-called Baker ban is being challenged in court by vape shop owners who say the bans will cost their business millions of dollars.