NEW: 3rd Person Dies of Vaping-Related Lung Injuries in MA

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) announced that a third person has died of a vaping-associated lung injury.

According to the Department of Public Health, the victim was a man in his 50s from Worcester County who vaped both nicotine and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

“My condolences go out to the family of this patient who has died from a vaping-associated lung injury. This disease is serious and potentially fatal and we are continuing to investigate the cause,”  said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH.

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Last month, DPH reported the state’s first two deaths from a vaping-associated lung injury, a  woman in her 40s from Middlesex County and a woman in her 60s from Hampshire County, both of whom vaped nicotine.

Vaping in MA

Since the state began mandating the reporting of vaping-associated lung injuries on September 11, DPH has received 220 reports from clinicians of suspected vaping-associated lung injuries, 127 of which meet the criteria for investigation by DPH. 

Ninety-five investigations have been completed and 21 confirmed and 47 probable cases have been reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Of the 68 Massachusetts confirmed or probable cases that have been reported to the CDC, 31 are male and 37 are female. Fifty percent are under the age of 30 and 50 percent are 30 or older. 

Thirty-one percent of the people vaped only nicotine, 38 percent vaped only THC, and 25 percent reported vaping nicotine and THC.

DPH will report this third confirmed death from a vaping-associated lung injury to the CDC next week.

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