News & Events

Severe Pulmonary Illness Linked to Vaping

The Ohio Department of Health and local health departments are investigating reports of severe lung disease among people who reported recent vaping. Currently, there are no known links to a specific type of product. Vaping products contain many substances and may include nicotine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), synthetic cannabinoids, or a combination of these.

Anyone who thinks that they may be experiencing serious breathing problems linked to vaping should seek immediate medical attention.  If you are a healthcare provider and wish to report a possible case, please contact your local health department. (Click here to locate a local health department.)

Information about resources to help people quit smoking and vaping are available on the cessation page of the ODH website, including the Ohio Tobacco Quit Line (1-800-QUIT-NOW).

For federal recommendations, please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Ohio Vaping Investigation Update

Information updated as of 2:00 pm March 5, 2020

Number of cases: 102

Age range: 15-65 years (median age: 25 years)

Gender: 30 Female, 72 Male (71% Male)

Number of hospitalizations: 96 (94%)

Number of deaths: 0

Counties: Ashtabula, Belmont, Brown, Butler (3), Champaign, Clark, Clermont (4), Cuyahoga (14), Darke (2), Delaware, Fairfield (2), Franklin (12), Greene (2), Hamilton (3), Hancock (2), Jefferson, Lake (2), Lucas (5), Mahoning (3), Marion, Medina (3), Miami (2), Montgomery (7), Paulding, Perry, Portage (2), Preble, Richland (3), Ross, Seneca (2), Stark, Summit (7), Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union (2), Warren (2), Wayne (2), Wood

Additional illness reports under investigation: 4

Vaping Science

Real-Time Digital Surveillance of Vaping-Induced Pulmonary Disease

CDC

• Severe Pulmonary Disease Associated with Electronic-Cigarette–Product Use — Interim Guidance
• Outbreak of Electronic-Cigarette–Associated Acute Lipoid Pneumonia — North Carolina, July–August 2019
• E-cigarette Product Use, or Vaping, Among Persons with Associated Lung Injury — Illinois and Wisconsin, April–September 2019
• Characteristics of a Multistate Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with E-cigarette Use, or Vaping — United States, 2019

New England Journal of Medicine

• Pulmonary Illness Related to E-Cigarette Use in Illinois and Wisconsin — Preliminary Report
• E-Cigarettes and Vaping-Related Disease
• Pathology of Vaping-Associated Lung Injury