What is EVALI? What You Should Know

What is EVALI?

Have you ever heard of EVALI? You are less likely to hear about it now that COVID has taken top priority for public health. EVALI stands for e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury. The American Lung Association defines EVALI as, “an inflammatory response in the lungs triggered by inhaled substances.” Essentially, EVALI is lung damage due to vaping and can happen to anyone regardless of age.

According to the latest update by the CDC on Feb. 18, 2020, there were 2,807 EVALI cases and 68 EVALI deaths in America. Unfortunately, there is not a more recent update from the CDC because COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. 

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What Causes EVALI?

According to the CDC, vitamin E acetate is definitively linked to EVALI, though there are other chemicals not specified that can cause EVALI. Vitamin E acetate is an ingredient in THC vaping products. Because other chemicals aside from vitamin E acetate may have a link to EVALI, non-THC products cannot be ruled out as a cause for EVALI. In short, vaping of any kind can put you at risk of getting EVALI. 

Is EVALI That Serious?

Yes, lung damage of any severity should not be taken lightly. A New York Times article published Sept. 4, 2020, tells the story of a 20-year-old Janan Moein who vaped THC products regularly for a year. In only a year of regular vape use, Moein ended up in the hospital with a collapsed lung; consequently, he was put in a medically induced coma for two weeks. He was 50 pounds lighter when he woke up. 

The NYT article also tells the story of 26-year-old James Ippolito, who has been addicted to vaping nicotine for about six years. However, Ippolito has not experienced any serious effects from his regular vape usage and admits that he would not quit even if he got COVID-19.

Moein and Ippolito are examples of how vaping affects everyone differently and why you should not risk your health by starting to vape. 

Vaping and COVID?

Is there any correlation between COVID-19 and vaping? According to a study by Stanford University School of Medicine, people who used vapes in the last 30 days were, “4.7 times more likely to experience COVID related symptoms,” than non-vapers. 

The World Health Organization does not explicitly say anything about vaping, but does say, “evidence suggests that smoking is associated with increased severity of disease and death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.” This information does not bode well considering many vapers smoke tobacco products.

EVALI Today

Unfortunately, no updates or information about recent EVALI cases are available because healthcare professionals and scientists are overwhelmed by the pandemic. EVALI was garnering national attention in early 2020 but the pandemic completely overshadowed this issue. However, if you want to improve your overall health, you should quit vaping or smoking.

 

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons