This is why we need regulation. Sigh.
3 Likes
Vitamin E acetate.
Vitamin E is found naturally in certain foods, such as canola oil, olive oil and almonds. The oil derived from the vitamin, known as vitamin E acetate, is commonly available as a nutritional supplement and is used in topical skin treatments. It is not known to cause harm when ingested as a vitamin supplement or applied to the skin. Its name sounds harmless, experts said, but its molecular structure could make it hazardous when inhaled. Its oil-like properties could be associated with the kinds of respiratory symptoms that many patients have reported: cough, shortness of breath and chest pain, officials said.
8 Likes
A letter from the marketer for Clear Cut, essentially admitting that his product is Vitamin E (Tocophoryl Acetate)
May we released a video which featured our new product called Clear Cut, and yes, it does contain Tocopheryl Acetate. The videos you are referring to are copies, put up by bad actors with misinformation to induce fear and hatred in the industry at a time when level headed research is necessary. It is widely known that Vitamin E/ Tocopheral Acetate is listed as non toxic and G.R.A.S. by the FDA and that a review of the MSDS of Tocopheryl Acetate shows minimal if any side effects.
3 Likes
The FDA is analyzing samples submitted by the states for the presence of a broad range of chemicals, including nicotine, THC and other cannabinoids along with cutting agents/diluents and other additives, pesticides, opioids, poisons and toxins. No one substance, including Vitamin E acetate, has been identified in all of the samples."
And the mystery continuesâŚ
3 Likes
5 Likes
3 Likes
Modal warning if you try to read too much.
While health investigators are clearing the air around the clinical aspect of the cases, the cause is still foggy. Though all the cases are associated with vaping, investigators have struggled to identify specific vape products or ingredients that tie all the cases and symptoms together.
So far, investigations have narrowed to focusing on contaminants in counterfeit, black-market, and home-mixed vape liquids, particularly ones containing THC. Many people sickened reported using vape liquids containing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis) prior to falling ill. But the culprit or culprits are still under investigation.
4 Likes
Got a request today to stock up on vape juice due to this. Part of me canât really argue with it. There is some contaminant causing serious problems and they donât have enough data yet to know for sure what it is or what might be contaminated.
But a blanket ban on everything related makes me uncomfortable. And knowing that people are going to panic-buy while they can naturally leads me to think that thereâs money backing this for the sake of more money.
5 Likes
calling it âjuiceâ has always seemed kinda creepy to me, like intentionally appealing to children
as far as I know you canât get vaping supplies by squeezing fruits and vegetables
6 Likes
Itâs weird, though. IIRC, most of the people affected have gotten their supply from dubious sources. Shutting down legitimate sales is the kind of thing that might worsen the problem, rather than helping.
6 Likes
Vaping has been dubious from the get-go, though.
First person I met who vaped bragged about how there was no nicotine in his âjuiceâ, so it was just something he could enjoy legally in restaurants (those were the days). Sitting beside him at the restaurant was like sitting beside a cherry-flavoured scented candle.
The ads made hay about how it was just a âharmless vapourâ being exhaled. Meanwhile, a vape store opened in the ground floor of my building, and all the condo units knew when people were vaping in the shop, because our apartments would reek of lemongrass or fruit or whatever. The condo board finally got them to make the actual shop vapour free â it should have been anyhow per the condo by-laws. I canât use scented candles in my apartment without opening a window either, and even then.
Then they added nicotine to the liquids, which for people like me means itâs no longer harmless. Oh well, the laws restricting where and when one could vape came in around the same time.
Now some liquids are making people ill⌠the whole thing is life a live-action risk assessment.
10 Likes
Might as well post this, though I hope itâs an isolated incident.
8 Likes
Sounds like they might have found the smoking gun.
3 Likes
One of my takeaways from this is that California is apparently doing it right, which is a relief after the troubles they had getting it done.
4 Likes
Maybe because vaping has been thought to be safer than smoking? Another reason might be the latter takes years to have an effect, while the vaping deaths seem like acute (i.e., sudden) deaths.
6 Likes
Good points.
One other thing: vaping is new, so obviously anything about it is ânews.â
3 Likes
Given what else Big Tobacco has got up to, I donât think youâre wrong.
My best guess is declaring anything not made by them as âdangerousâ lets them take back control of the supply chain before it gets too disruptive. Big Tobacco remain the reliable Merchants of Death who only kill slowly and and kindly, over decades, so it doesnât count. Not like those crypto-hipster upstarts who kill in mere months. Theyâre the bad guys. Obviously.
6 Likes
I have no problem with recognizing this. My problem is with the people who insist itâs âperfectly safeâ.
My preference is that we work at figuring out the true risks to the user and others, put together safeguard rules that protect others (like with smoking) make sure the risks are well published and publicized, then let people make their own choices. If itâs truly safer than smoking, even over the long term, thatâs something we should study and know, versus telying on anecdotes from people who either want to sell to us, or those who are afraid their vice will be taken away.
As for your conspiracy theory, thereâs another layer: look how quickly the hype changed from âvaping can kill youâ to âblack market/knock-off/THC cartridges will kill you!â. Juul is owned by Altria, aka Phillip Morris. This is the perfect excuse to start putting out DRMd product that forcefully locks users into their ecosystem. Unlike the printer companies, Juul can say itâs for public health and safety.
8 Likes
My guess is the suddenness of it. People have been vaping for a decade and a half with few incidents and nothing like this. Now suddenly hundreds of hospitalizations and several deaths all within a few weeks - that stands out.
And itâs obviously a contamination event. But unlike your typical âpre-packaged salads contaminated with e. coliâ or whatever, they had no idea what the contaminant is or what to recall or how to get to the source, and no way to enforce it if they did. So itâs kind of a systemic failure.
Those two things make it newsworthy, add the trendiness of vaping angle, and it becomes easy to make âpanic now!â headlines that get clicks/sell.
What bugs me is that the instant reaction of many policymakers is âOh, thereâs poison in the black-market stuff? Letâs ban all the stuff thatâs not black market! That way theyâll have to buy the poison!â That makes me think that our education system has failed miserably. Everyone should immediately recognize that as a very very bad response.
8 Likes