• What we don’t know

• What CDC recommends
• At this time, FDA and CDC have not identified the cause or causes of the lung injuries in these cases, and the only commonality among all cases is that patients report the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products.
• This outbreak might have more than one cause, and many different substances and product sources are still under investigation. The specific chemical exposure(s) causing lung injuries associated with e-cigarette product use, or vaping, remains unknown at this time

• What CDC recommends

• CDC recommends that people:
  • Should not use e-cigarette, or vaping, products that contain THC.
  • Should not buy any type of e-cigarette, or vaping, products, particularly those containing THC, off the street.
  • Should not modify or add any substances to e-cigarette, or vaping, products that are not intended by the manufacturer, including products purchased through retail establishments.
• At present, CDC continues to recommend that people consider refraining from using e-cigarette, or vaping, products that contain nicotine.
• If you are an adult using e-cigarette, or vaping, products to quit cigarette smoking, do not return to smoking cigarettes. Use evidence-based treatments, including healthcare provider counseling and FDA approved medicationspdf iconexternal icon.
• If you have recently used an e-cigarette or vaping product, see a healthcare provider immediately if you develop symptoms like those reported in this outbreak.
• Regardless of the ongoing investigation:
  • E-cigarette, or vaping, products should never be used by youths, young adults, or women who are pregnant.
  • Adults who do not currently use tobacco products should not start using e-cigarette, or vaping, products.
  • THC use has been associated with a wide range of health effects, particularly with prolonged heavy use. The best way to avoid potentially harmful effects is to not use THC, including through e-cigarette, or vaping, products. Persons with marijuana use disorder should seek evidence-based treatment by a health care provider.
  • There is no safe tobacco product, and the use of any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, carries a risk.
  • CDC will continue to update guidance, as appropriate, as new data emerges from this complex outbreak.

Key Facts about E-Cigarette Use, or Vaping

• Electronic cigarettes – or e-cigarettes — are also called vapes, e-hookahs, vape pens, tank systems, mods, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).
• Using an e-cigarette product is commonly called vaping.
• E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid to produce an aerosol that users inhale into their lungs.
• The liquid can contain: nicotine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinoid (CBD) oils, and other substances and additives. THC is the psychoactive mind-altering compound of marijuana that produces the “high”.