As concern mounts over an outbreak of vaping deaths in the United States, reaction is being felt in Australia.
Legalise Vaping Australia says vape shop owners have noticed a 30 per cent drop in business, as the death toll in the US rises to 17.
On Wednesday, Alabama announced the state’s first death due to lung disease associated with vaping, a day after Virginia and New Jersey health officials confirmed other vaping-related deaths.
The Alabama Department of Public Health said the latest death was an adult man in the eastern part of the state.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced last week it was aware of 805 confirmed and probable cases of lung injury associated with e-cigarette use in 46 states and the US Virgin Islands.
While a cause is yet to be concluded, officials believe the prevalence of THC in products could be to blame.
THC is the psychoactive mind-altering compound of marijuana that produces the “high”.
New Jersey’s health department noted that, “to date, there have been no reports of serious lung illness associated with products sold in dispensaries permitted by the New Jersey Medical Marijuana Program”.
The CDC has received data on substances used in e-cigarettes or vaping products in the 30 days prior to symptom onset among 514 patients.
About 77 per cent reported using THC-containing products and 36 per cent reported exclusive use of THC-containing products.
About 57 per cent reported using nicotine-containing products and only 16 per cent reported exclusive use of nicotine-containing products.
Brian Marlow, of Legalise Vaping Australia, said Aussies were getting sucked in by misinformation thinking all vaping products were bad.
Nicotine e-cigarettes are illegal in Australia, with many people importing products from overseas.
Mr Marlow said about 30 per cent of a vape shop’s business came from people buying starter kits.
“That’s all stopped,” he said. “The concern I’m getting from vape shops is how do we continue this way and push back against this? They’re concerned they’re facing annihilation just a result of people not quite understanding the issue.”
The CDC warns that regardless of the ongoing investigation, anyone who uses an e-cigarette or vaping product should not buy liquids with THC or CBD oils off the street, and should not modify or add any substances that are not intended by the manufacturer.
“If you access something made by criminals that have since been arrested you’ll end up in hospital,” Mr Marlow said.
“Vape shops want to do the right thing and operate within a regulatory framework but there isn’t a regulatory framework. Yes, people should just quit but they’re not doing that.”
Mr Marlow said he would never say vaping was safe but it was less harmful than smoking.
“To date there hasn’t been a nicotine vaping-related death,” he said.
A new survey by Legalise Vaping Australia found 86 per cent of vapers had quit smoking and vaping altogether.
It found 75 per cent of vapers had smoked for more than 10 years before they turned to vaping, with the same amount trying but failing to quit using nicotine gum.
The survey of 3300 people found 58 per cent would feel safer buying Australian products that were regulated.
Subscribe to our free mailing list and always be the first to receive the latest news and updates.