One in six vaping lung illnesses linked to legally purchased THC, according to federal data

One-sixth of patients who developed lung injuries after vaping marijuana obtained the product from legal dispensaries, a new federal report says, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said reinforced its current recommendations to not use THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products.

The CDC report is based on 809 patients in Illinois, Wisconsin and Utah who provided data on the source of THC-containing products.

The CDC said 131, or 16%, reported acquiring their products from only commercial sources.

The majority, 627, cited “informal” sources such as family, friends and in-person or online dealers. Fifty-one, or 6%, cited both types of sources.

The CDC noted that even states with legal recreational marijuana, consumers may not know whether stores or dispensaries are actually licensed by the state. In California, the CDC said, the Bureau of Cannabis Control seized nearly 10,000 illegal vape pens from unlicensed retailers in two days last month. 

The report looked at 1,979 patients with available data on substance use. A total of 1,620, or 82%, had used marijuana products. Patients ages 13-17 were more likely to acquire the marijuana from informal sources than adults were, the report says.

The CDC said the best way to be safe is to avoid the use of all vaping products. 

Sean Jorgensen Callahan, a pulmonologist and University of Utah professor who has treated and written about patients with vaping lung illness, said he expected the number of illnesses related to legal THC vapes to be higher. [Read More @ USA Today]