The New Jersey Department of Health says that a northern New Jersey woman died in August from complications from a lung disease associated with vaping.
State officials say that the total number of confirmed and probable cases of the lung disease in New Jersey has risen to 14. Officials say that the recent death was one of the probable cases.
The state could take longer to legalize weed — as Gov. Andrew Cuomo tries to coordinate New York’s policy with surrounding states.
Cuomo said in a radio interview Tuesday that he wants to create a “regional symmetry” with Connecticut and New Jersey on pot legalization and regulations on vaping. He said he would get the ball rolling on his plan with Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on Wednesday.
“I want to talk to Connecticut, and then I want to talk to Jersey, about having a regional symmetry on vaping products and marijuana,” Cuomo told Long Island News Radio’s Jay Oliver.
Nearly three dozen cases of vaping-related lung issues have been reported in New Jersey, as calls have grown louder for the companies behind such products to take more accountability for sales to young users.
There were nine confirmed cases of vaping-associated illness and 24 reports under investigation in New Jersey as of Sept. 17, according to state health officials.
The same updated data showed the patients range in age from 15 to 51-years-old, and 26 cases involve males, while seven cases involve females.
New Jersey
Last week, Politico reported Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney moved to ban the sale of all vaping products, including marijuana vape products.
That followed New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announcing a task force on vaping that is due to file recommendations in the next three weeks.
“The only safe alternative to smoking is not smoking. Period. Full stop,” Murphy said..
Following news reports about mysterious vaping-related illnesses, the Trump administration intends to prohibit flavored nicotine vapes, on the theory that flavored vapes are especially appealing to minors and encouraging them to take up nicotine use.
New Jersey took a stance on marijuana vape cartridges. New York is investigating. POLITICO New Jersey’s Ryan Hutchins reports that Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney on Wednesday moved to ban the sale of all vaping products, including marijuana vape products. That announcement came a day after New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said “no one should be vaping until further notice.” New Jersey, though, has only a medical marijuana market that serves just over 50,000 patients.
Federal health officials reported on Friday that the number of people sickened with a severe lung illness linked to vaping has more than doubled to 450 possible cases in 33 states, including three deaths and a possible fourth.
The Indiana Department of Health announced the third death on Friday, saying only that the victim was older than 18.
“There is clearly an epidemic that begs for an urgent response,” Dr. David C. Christiani of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health wrote in an editorial published on Friday afternoon in The New England Journal of Medicine.