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U.S. NEWS Saturday 7 december 2019
Officials list pot vape brands reported in U.S. outbreak

By MIKE STOBBE THC product. Last month,
AP Medical Writer CDC officials said they had
NEW YORK (AP) — Health narrowed in on a culprit
officials investigating a na- — a chemical compound
tionwide outbreak of vap- called vitamin E acetate
ing illnesses have listed, that has been commonly
for the first time, the vape found in the lungs of sick
brands most commonly patients and in the prod-
linked to hospitalizations. ucts they vaped.
Most of the nearly 2,300 Vitamin E acetate is a
people who suffered lung thickening agent that's
damage had vaped liq- been added to illicit THC
uids that contain THC, the vaping liquids. But it's pos-
high-inducing part of mari- sible it also may have been
juana. added to vaping liquids
In a report released Friday, containing CBD, another
the U.S. Centers for Disease cannabis extract, King said.
Control and Prevention About 1% of the patients
listed the products most said they had vaped CBD
often cited by patients, products only.
noting that some of them The agency is recommend-
said they vaped more than ing that people do not use
one. any electronic cigarettes or
Dank Vapes was the brand vaping products that con-
used by 56% of the hospital- tain THC, especially those
ized patients nationwide. obtained from friends, fam-
Dank is not a licensed prod- ily members or black mar-
uct coming from one busi- ket dealers.
ness, it is empty packaging However, 13% of patients
that can be ordered from said they vaped only nico-
Chinese internet sites. Illicit tine. CDC officials are con-
vaping cartridge makers tinuing to look at nicotine-
can buy the empty pack- containing vapes, and to
ages and then fill them with advise caution about all
whatever they choose. types of vaping products
Other product names at In this Aug. 28, 2019, file photo, a man exhales while smoking an e-cigarette in Portland, Maine. until the investigation is
the top of the list from CDC Associated Press concluded, King said.q
were TKO (15%), Smart Cart
(13%) and Rove (12%). ficials said. Investigators
"It's not likely that a single want more data until they
brand is responsible for this feel certain the outbreak
outbreak," said Brian King, is waning. If it is, there may
a senior CDC official on the be more than one reason,
investigation. including growing public
Some of the brands cited caution about vaping or
by the CDC are sold in perhaps a change in what
states with legalized mari- cartridge makers are put-
juana. But counterfeits of ting into them, King said.
those legitimate brands But cases are still coming
have flooded the market in, with 2,291 reported this
around the country, forc- year — including 176 that
ing some to redesign their joined the tally in late No-
packaging. vember. Every state has re-
Bill Loucks, co-founder of ported cases, and 25 states
TKO Products, said his com- and the District of Colum-
pany sells only to licensed bia have reported a total
dispensaries in California, of 48 deaths.
but the company gets Symptoms include trouble
emails asking about TKO- breathing, chest pain, fa-
branded cartridges pur- tigue and vomiting. About
chased elsewhere. half the patients are peo-
"If you bought them out- ple in their teens or early
side of California ... you are 20s. The outbreak appears
the proud owner of fakes," to have started in March.
Loucks said in an email. CDC officials have gradu-
The CDC also said Friday ally come to focus their
that the worst of the out- investigation on black-mar-
break may be over. Pre- ket THC cartridges.
liminary data indicates An analysis of about 1,800
hospitalizations peaked in of the hospitalized pa-
mid-September and have tients found about 80%
been declining since, of- said they used at least one