WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched a criminal investigation into vaping-related diseases on Thursday as the number of cases of lung illnesses linked to e-cigarettes rose to 530 this week.
It came after health officials in California confirmed on Tuesday that another patient has died of a vaping-related illness, making it at least the seventh reported death associated with a national outbreak of serious lung disease related to vaping or using e-cigarettes.
The probe is not targeted on individuals who use illegal vaping products but on uncovering the chemical makeup of vape products and how they are being used in ways that may cause individuals to fall ill, according to FDA's Center for Tobacco Products director Mitch Zeller.
U.S. health officials said it's unclear what is causing the illnesses but many of the patients reported their recent use of illegal products containing THC, a compound found in marijuana, and some reported using products containing nicotine.
Health authorities in New York state said in early September that nearly all vaping products containing THC, a compound found in marijuana, also contained vitamin E acetate, a substance that can be harmful when inhaled.
But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said they found no one substance, including vitamin E acetate, has been identified in the 120 samples they tested.
"Although more investigation is needed to determine the vaping agent or agents responsible, there is clearly an epidemic that begs for an urgent response," David Christiani, a Harvard University public health professor, wrote in an editorial published on Sept. 6.
In 2018, more than 3.6 million U.S. youth, including one in five high school students and one in 20 middle school students, used e-cigarettes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
