# Is the Wisconsin Lung Disease Outbreak Really About Vaping?



## Hooked (7/8/19)

https://vaping360.com/vape-news/82975/is-the-wisconsin-lung-disease-outbreak-really-about-vaping

7 August 2019
Health officials in Wisconsin are grappling with an outbreak of severe lung ailments that may be related to vaping. Or they may not be related to vaping. Unfortunately, in their desire to avoid additional cases—and their zeal to prove their anti-vaping bonafides—the Wisconsin authorities have created a panic that will be counterproductive to public health.

Here’s the story so far:

On July 25, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) issued a memo to healthcare providers and local and tribal health agencies warning of a lung disease cluster in Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Winnebago counties. It described eight cases of unexplained pulmonary disease among adolescents that were being investigated. The memo was straightforward and sensible, explaining what the DHS knew and what it didn’t know.

“All patients reported vaping in the weeks and months prior to hospital admission,” said the memo, from Dr. Jonathan Meiman, an epidemiologist. “The names and types of products used remain unknown, and patient interviews are ongoing. Clinicians are encouraged to remain alert for potential cases among persons presenting with progressive respiratory symptoms who report a history of inhalation drug use, particularly vaping.”

“Inhalation drug use” is not typically a phrase used to describe regular vaping of nicotine (or zero-nicotine) e-liquid. That seems to indicate that the DHS officials already suspected that the kids were using something other than standard vaping products.

That same day, Fox 6 News in Burlington, Wisconsin reported that a man in his mid-twenties had been hospitalized some days earlier for what was first thought to be pneumonia, but rapidly progressed, damaging both his lungs and heart. He had been placed in a medically induced coma and his prognosis was uncertain.

Burlington is about 35 miles southwest of Milwaukee.

The man’s brother said he had vaped what he called T.. cartridges, sold on the street.

By the time the press got hold of the DHS announcement, the anti-vaping train was already steaming down the track. Only one of the original eight teens was still in the hospital when the warning went out, but the Wisconsin “disease detectives” still hadn’t isolated the exact source of their lung injuries. However, most of the “experts” quoted in the barrage of news stories that followed were more than happy to guess.

The Wisconsin American Lung Association issued a statement that said, “e-cigarette use is NOT safe, especially by youth whose lungs are still developing. E-cigarettes contain chemicals, heavy metals and fine particulates. The candy and fruit-flavorings that so many youth find appealing also contain chemicals known to cause irreparable lung damage.”

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 3


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## Grand Guru (7/8/19)

Having 8 kids admitted to hospital in a short period of time obviously needs a serious investigation to try determine the cause of this “mysterious” disease. It’s most likely some funky juice bought off the street but you should take a look carefully at the last sentence of this statement and you’ll get the idea:
"Wisconsin had made enormous strides in reducing smoking rates but now faces a new generation of nicotine addiction among our youth. We call on lawmakers to act swiftly to enact laws to turn the tide on this growing epidemic – *raising the legal purchase of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes to 21, adding e-cigarettes to the states smoke free air law and taxing e-cigarettes the same as regular combustible cigarettes.*"
Source: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-new...xSUo5xnp4Bgrgm_GUSQBfbz_lq0s-SA-8FU9UBOsFx5Zc

Reactions: Agree 4


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## Hooked (8/8/19)

Grand Guru said:


> Having 8 kids admitted to hospital in a short period of time obviously needs a serious investigation to try determine the cause of this “mysterious” disease. It’s most likely some funky juice bought off the street but you should take a look carefully at the last sentence of this statement and you’ll get the idea:
> "Wisconsin had made enormous strides in reducing smoking rates but now faces a new generation of nicotine addiction among our youth. We call on lawmakers to act swiftly to enact laws to turn the tide on this growing epidemic – *raising the legal purchase of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes to 21, adding e-cigarettes to the states smoke free air law and taxing e-cigarettes the same as regular combustible cigarettes.*"
> Source: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-new...xSUo5xnp4Bgrgm_GUSQBfbz_lq0s-SA-8FU9UBOsFx5Zc



@Grand Guru I concur, but it would also appear that they weren't vaping juice. In my quote I abbreviated "T ... cartridges" because we don't mention the other three letters here. I should have stated that it was my abbreviation and I'll fix that now.

Reactions: Like 3


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## Lawrence A (8/8/19)

Yeah I watched a video on YouTube last night (Dash Vapes) in which he mentioned that these guys were indeed vaping .... TeeHSea, that they had apparently got off the 'black market'.

Once again a key piece of information gets conveniently omitted by the anti-vaping crew when it gets reported.

It sort of reminds me of the whole vaping Tide nonsense from a few months ago....

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 2


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## Hooked (6/9/19)

https://vaping360.com/vape-news/841...ame-a-likely-culprit-in-lung-disease-outbreak

State and federal investigators have discovered that many of the illegal THC oil cartridges provided for testing by the victims of a mysterious lung condition contain a thick cutting agent called tocopherol acetate, or more commonly vitamin E acetate. New York State authorities are calling the substance a “key focus” of their investigation.

The story was first reported by the Washing Post, which referred to the substance as an oil. It technically isn’t an oil (though it is oil soluble), but can cause serious lung damage anyway. The possibility that tocopherol acetate could be responsible for the lung injuries was first raised by Leafly’s David Downs in an article published Aug. 30.  

Tocopherol acetate is commonly used in skin creams, soaps, and other cosmetic products, but is not intended for inhalation. However, according to Leafly, it appears to be a primary ingredient in a thick diluent called Honey Cut that is popular with makers of black market hash oil. Honey Cut is mixed with the oil extracted from cannabis flower to dilute the product so more cartridges can be filled (and sold illegally).

The Honey Cut website, which has no address or contact information, was down Thursday evening.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## Arthster (6/9/19)

I'm going to reiterate what I said earlier... If I fill my vape with Jic and Jays fluid, vaping can't me blamed for me burning my lungs out.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Johnny2Puffs (6/9/19)

http://www.ecigarette-research.org/research/index.php/whats-new/2019/274-us-lung

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 1


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## zadiac (7/9/19)

The gene pool is being cleaned. Just sit back and watch. As someone said: Just remove the warning labels. Natural selection will take over.

Reactions: Agree 3 | Winner 1


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