The Canadian industry has watched carefully as concentrate-vaping-related illnesses in 36 US States (and one territory) have rapidly increased since July, leaving six dead. The illnesses are not biological, but related to chemical exposure.
CTV News
- Canada legalizes extracts and opens a vape-pen market of its own this fall. While many expect vape-pens to surge to the head of Legalization 2.0 products, the vape-illness wave might check that growth. Or our regulations could build consumer trust in vape pens, depending on who you ask.
Bloomberg - LPs insist that when their exhaustively regulated cannabis vape-pens enter the market in mid-December, they will cause none of the illnesses associated with US vaping products.
Financial Post - Those who sell dry-herb vaporizers are worried their sales will be affected by the panic, despite it affecting only concentrates-vaporizers.
The Leaf
Many suspect the culprit is vitamin E oil (tocopheryl-acetate), used to dilute extracts in counterfeit vape products. New York State is focusing its investigations on vitamin E oil and two other states have identified it in vape products. When heated and inhaled, vitamin E leaves drops of oil in the lungs that cause pneumonia.
Leafly, CTV News
- The US Centres for Disease Control is not yet ready to cite illicit vapes or cutting agents like vitamin E as the principal cause of the outbreak. The American Medical Association called on consumers to stop using any “electronic cigarette” or vape pen until the cause of the illness was clear.
National Post - At home, BC Liberal MLA Shirley Bond appeared to call for a ban on vape products.
Twitter - The Ontario Lung Association launched comic strip The Toker to encourage young people to reduce lung-health risks.
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