Vaping in Question

Rapidly rising vaping illnesses may be the result of a growing black market.

Vaping associated deaths have risen to 19 and lung illness to 1,080 in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

This was a jump of 275 cases in 7 days.

E-cigarette maker Juul has sued to stop hundreds of online sellers from hawking counterfeits and has tracked many knockoffs to China.

The company plans to open a $125 million operation in Lexington County.

CannaSafe, a cannabis testing lab, reported 12 samples of black-market THC vaping products contained pesticides and heavy metals.

THC is the psychoactive chemical in marijuana that produces a high.

Legal sales of marijuana vaping cartridges and disposable vape pens are estimated at $2.5 billion but is roughly twice that with illicit sales. Nicotine e-cigarette sales are forecast to reach $9 billion this year.

No single product or ingredient has been identified as the cause of the vaping-related illnesses.

Many patients have reported vaping cartridges they bought from friends, illicit dealers or off the street, contained THC.

Juul and other manufacturers have argued that regulators should do more to clear out unauthorized, potentially unsafe products.

Federal and state officials aim to curb a rise in teen e-cigarette use through bans on sweet and fruity flavored nicotine vaping products.

The FDA also has sent letters to 90 e-cigarette manufacturers, many of them makers of unauthorized Juulcompatible pods, according to the agency.

Some have taken their products off the market.