The number of health issues connected to vapes in Utah has increased significantly since last week.
The Department of Health has issued a statement confirming that there are now 76 cases of lung disease linked to vaping and 14 more yet to be confirmed. More than half of the reported cases required hospitalization, and at least 26 of them spent time in the intensive care unit. The officials warned people not to use unregulated THC cartridges, which are the likely cause of the outbreak.
As a countermeasure against illnesses related to vaping, the Department issued an emergency administrative rule that would restrict the sale of the product to retail tobacco businesses. Furthermore, stores that sell vape kits and e-cigarettes will be obligated to warn consumers about possible side-effects and consequences of using their products.
The Department decided to postpone the enforcement of the rule to give other retailers enough time to remove the banned product from their stores. The restrictions will apply for a period of 120 days, and the officials will continue working on a permanent solution in the meantime.
The vaping-induced health issues recently came into focus as a nationwide problem, especially concerning the products’ addictive quality and their rising popularity among the youth.