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Ohio investigating surge in mysterious lung illness that may be linked to vaping


The death of the man in Illinois is the first linked to e-cigarettes. But, it's part of a chilling surge in people getting severe lung disease, leaving some of them on ventilators. (WKRC)
The death of the man in Illinois is the first linked to e-cigarettes. But, it's part of a chilling surge in people getting severe lung disease, leaving some of them on ventilators. (WKRC)
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CINCINNATI (WKRC) - The death of the man in Illinois is the first linked to e-cigarettes. But, it's part of a chilling surge in people getting severe lung disease, leaving some of them on ventilators.

The Ohio Department of Health has released a warning that parents need to hear: The symptoms are mysterious. They are like having the flu, including nausea, fever and weight loss. But there is an added symptom: You have chest pain and you can't breathe.

It's such a new diagnosis, 25-year-old Cody Slagle said he went to two local hospitals before he got help. Slagle said he put down a pack of cigarettes and picked up a Juul. Three years later, he was lying in a hospital bed.

"My chest and my lungs were, like, inflamed. I guess they could tell that I guess it must have been from a vape," said Slagle.

His symptoms mimicked the warnings of the Ohio Health Department.

"I just thought it was maybe, you know, food poisoning or some kind of illness, but when it starts leading to the point where my phone was getting too heavy to pick up, I kind of knew something was wrong," said Slagle.

Dr. Stephen Feagins thinks physicians have been missing a lot of these cases because they have not been asking this question: Do you vape?

'"It looks like a pneumonia. In fact, many of these folks have probably been treated for pneumonia only to realize this is an inhalation lung injury," said Dr. Feagins.

Six cases are being investigated in Ohio.

"I'm the first case in the Cincinnati area that this has happened to; I know that, but I would believe that there's probably more cases just like mine in the state of Ohio," said Slagle.

Vape advocates think these cases are not caused by e-cigarettes and liquids bought in vape shops.

"Nearly all of that evidence points to illegal street-bought THC or other illegal drugs containing cartridges as being the cause of these severe illnesses," said Gregory Conley with the American Vaping Association.

"If it's not FDA-approved and then who knows what kind of nicotine they're getting, where they're getting it from? Like we won't carry any kind of houseblend because of things like that," said Ziggy Bowling, general manager of Helix Vape Shop.

The illness, Slagle said, is enough to give it up for good.

"The day when I went to Bethesda North and I found out that I had pneumonia, I took my Juul, I took my wife's Juul and I chucked them in the trash. I have a daughter that I just had back in January. She needs me more than a Juul needs me," said Slagle.

Ohio is working to curb teen vaping. Starting Oct. 1, you will need to be 21 to buy e-cigarettes, and the liquid.

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