(Photo Credit: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle)

More lives lost due to the unknown causes of vaping

Two more people in the United States have died from a mysterious lung disease linked to “vaping,” or e-cigarette smoking. The deaths bring the nationwide total to 16.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says nearly 900 people in 46 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands have experienced “lung injury” from vaping. E-cigarettes have long been marketed to adults who are trying to quit smoking tobacco cigarettes, but popular vaping products, like Juul, are growing in popularity with teens. Many public health officials worry that a whole new generation of Americans is becoming addicted to e-cigarettes, after decades of public awareness campaigns to get people to stop smoking.

The most recent vaping-related death occurred in southwest Virginia.

“I am deeply saddened to announce the first death of a Virginia resident related to this outbreak. Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time,” Virginia’s health commissioner said in a statement.

The spate of deaths linked to vaping has led many cities, including San Francisco, to ban the sale of e-cigarette devices like Juul.

Many of the people developing lung disease were using e-cigarettes to smoke marijuana products, like THC oil, the CDC says. Still, public health officials are urging anyone who is not already a cigarette smoker, especially teens and young adults, to avoid any type of vaping product.