First Vaping Death In Indiana, Third Confirmed Nationwide

Jill Sheridan

Article origination IPBS-RJC

Indiana is reporting the first death in the state related to lung injury after vaping. This is the third confirmed fatality in the country.

The Indiana State Department of Health says the person who died was older than 18 but won’t release any more information about the individual. The state is investigating a total of 30 cases, eight of them confirmed, linked to vaping.

Indiana State Health Commissioner Kristina Box says much is still unknown about these vaping lung injuries.

"This definitely appears on a chest X-ray with no infectious agent that would be the cause of that," says Box.

Some investigations indicate that patients with severe lung conditions may have inhaled other substances says State Epidemiologist Pam Pontones.

"Many individuals have reported vaping THC, the ingredient in marijuana, or other substances," says Pontones.

ISDH says they haven’t found any common substance in the Indiana cases but are working with the families of patients to get products to the FDA for testing.

Health officials are investigating 450 cases nationwide.

Tags:Indiana State Department of Health vaping E-cigarettes

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