An adult male died of vaping-related illness in east Alabama, marking the first vaping death in the state and the 13th nationwide. According to AL.com, the Alabama Department of Public Health did not identify the deceased man in its announcement on Wednesday. “The use of any tobacco product is unsafe. While this current outbreak is being investigated, the safest option is to refrain from using any e-cigarette or vape product,” State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said. “Furthermore, there is no situation in which these devices should be used by pregnant women or youths.” The Mayo Clinic released data Wednesday that shows a toxic chemical was found in samples from 17 people’s lungs that were being treated with vaping-related lung illnesses. All 17 biopsies showed that lung injuries were most likely caused by “direct toxicity or tissue damage from noxious chemical fumes.” Alabama reportedly has at least 19 vaping-related illness cases, most involving teens and young adults. The U.S. has 805 reported vaping illness cases, according to the CDC.
