SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — Summit County Public Health is joining departments across the country to warn its residents to stop using any vape and/or e-cigarette devices immediately amid a national health alert about severe pulmonary illness reported in at least a dozen states.
Health officials said Ohio residents have been hospitalized with severe pulmonary illness. Those individuals hospitalized reported using vape products or dabbing (vaping marijuana pills, extracts or concentrates).
Summit County residents are strongly encouraged by the health department to not utilize any vaping products, especially those that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD).
Symptoms of pulmonary illness include coughing, shortness of breath and fatigue. In some cases, symptoms worsened over a period of days or weeks and sometimes required hospitalization. Vaping and e-cigarette products contain cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals such as nickle, tin and lead, and chemical flavorings linked to serious lung disease.
While the long term health impacts of using these products are unknown, health officials say the immediate dangers of vaping are becoming increasingly evident and alarming in Ohio.
Twenty five states, including Ohio, have reported severe respiratory illness among teenagers and young adults with a history of vaping.
Health care providers who have patients being treated for suspected pulmonary illness should contact their local health department.
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