New York state is being more forceful in its warning about vaping products as the state Health Department has urged people to stop using them until the cause of a rash of serious respiratory illnesses can be determined.

While attending New York City's Labor Day parade Saturday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, "our health guidance is no one should be using vaping products period until we know what it is."

Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker then issued a statement Saturday saying at the direction of Cuomo, and heeding warnings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "I am urging New Yorkers to stop using vape products while the investigation into the definitive cause of reported vaping-associated illnesses nationwide can be better determined."

The CDC is reporting that more than 450 possible cases of vaping-related illness have been reported, with five users dying who live in California, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Oregon.

On Friday, New York state updated the number of vaping-related illnesses to 38, with four being from the Capital Region.

Investigators at the state's Wadsworth Laboratory have identified high levels of vitamin E acetate, an unauthorized additive in some marijuana vape pods, in more than a dozen products submitted for testing. However, on Friday, an FDA spokesman said, "No one substance, including Vitamin E acetate, has been identified in all of the samples tested" by the agency.

Last week, state health officials warned people to not buy or use products "off the street." On Thursday, the state health department said people should "consider" not using vape products. Saturday's urging to stop use of the products was more forceful.

Mike Kruger, owner of GottaVape in Schenectady and a member of the New York State Vapor Association, said media reports have wrongly linked the illnesses to products sold by local vendors such as himself. He criticized Cuomo for "telling people not to do something that is obviously healthier than the alternative."

"It's not vaping from nicotine e-liquid," he said, referring to the illnesses. "It's vaping a street product."

But the investigations are continuing. Zucker said in his statement Saturday that the state also is testing nicotine-containing vape products that were used by people experiencing serious lung-related illnesses.

Investigators also have zeroed in on a marijuana product that cannot legally be sold in New York vaping stores.

But Cuomo and Zucker's latest urging is meant to include any products sold. Vaping stores have popped up in communities statewide as smoking of electronic cigarettes has exploded in popularity — often with teenagers who are choosing it instead of smoking traditional cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, deliver a mist to the user by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. E-cigarettes also can be used to deliver marijuana.

The Times Union reached out to 10 vape shops in the Capital Region Sunday, nine of which declined to comment.

Reached via Facebook message, a representative for 51Vape declined to comment on the issue, saying "the real headline is black market THC cartridges. Maybe you should find a drug dealer and talk to them." There are six 51Vape locations in the Capital District.

Meanwhile, testing also continues on products authorized through New York state's Medical Marijuana Program. There have been no adverse events related to those users, but the state is urging those patients to consult with their health care providers to look for an alternative for pain reduction until the investigation is concluded.