New York State Department of Health Issues Health Advisory on Vaping-Associated Pulmonary Illness

ALBANY, N.Y. (August 16, 2019) - The New York State Department of Health today announced that it has issued a statewide health advisory to health care providers following recent reported cases of pulmonary disease in people using vaping products in New York State. The advisory alerts providers of this emerging health threat and lists symptoms they should look for in patients. The Department recommends that anyone who uses vaping products and has concerning respiratory symptoms should stop using the product and consult their healthcare provider.

"While many people consider vaping to be a less dangerous alternative to smoking cigarettes, it is not risk free," said Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. "These latest reports of pulmonary disease in people using vaping products in New York and other states are proof that more study is needed on the long-term health effects of these products."

As of today, the Department is actively investigating 11 reported cases of pulmonary disease in people using vaping products – one from Long Island, one from Westchester,one from the Capital Region and eight from Western New York. Preliminarily, many cases have reported the use of products containing cannabis, as well as other nicotine products, in the weeks to months prior to presentation. The Department is investigating reported symptoms, health outcomes and possible causes of the symptoms, including the types of product being vaped and the method of delivery; obtaining and testing samples from vaping products at the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Center Laboratory to help determine the potential cause; and working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other states that are seeing similar cases.

For more information on the health concerns associated with e-cigarettes and similar vapor products, visit: https://www.health.ny.gov/novape.