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MADISON (WKOW) – After one person has died in Illinois after being hospitalized for a serious respiratory illness after a recent vape, Wisconsin officials are reminding people of the "unknown" danger of e-cigarettes.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, nearly 50 people in at least six states have contracted respiratory diseases that may be related to e-cigarettes or other vaping products.
Wisconsin said it is aware of 16 confirmed cases of people with severe pulmonary disease due to vaping. Fifteen other cases are under further investigation.
Madison Public Health & Dane County said that a majority of users were unaware of the dangers. The program director of the Columbia-Dane No Tobacco County Coalition said they were redoubling their efforts to inform the public that the vaping was not safe and that the products used were not regulated by the FDA.
"We know it's not a regulated product, so we do not really know what they contain all the time," said Ryan Sheahan of the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Campaign.
The most popular electronic cigarette among teens is Juul, which, according to authorities, targets young people by selling dozens of fruit flavors. Officials warn that starting to vape at a young age can affect brain development.
"Nicotine can rearm a young person's brain and the structure of a teenage brain, even young adults, can also be acceptable for future addictions as well," Sheahan said.
Sheahan also says that many do not know that electronic cigarettes contain more than just water vapor. He added that the products may contain heavy chemicals and carcinogens that may also cause "secondary steam" for other people around you.
The coalition is also trying to target schools to educate teens about the dangers of the dangerous side effects of vaping. Legislators are also pushing for legislation to raise the legal age for buying tobacco to 21 years.
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