DALLAS — Health officials in Texas say the state has recorded its first death associated with vaping-related lung illnesses.
The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed Wednesday that an older woman in north Texas died last week from a lung disease associated with using electronic cigarettes. The agency says the state has also identified 95 confirmed or probable cases of lung illnesses linked to vaping.
The agency says those illnesses affect patients as young as 13, with a median age of 22. The department also says that among the illnesses, nearly 90% of patients reported vaping marijuana or THC, the high-producing ingredient in marijuana.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 1,000 confirmed or probable vaping illnesses have been reported nationwide as of last week.
Right now, there are 95 confirmed and probable lung injury cases in the state connected to vaping, according to the TDSHS.
Dallas County has seen the most illnesses in the state with 30 confirmed or probable cases.
The CDC has confirmed 805 lung injury cases associated with vaping across the nation. These cases have arisen from 46 states and one U.S. territory.
Twelve deaths have come in ten states.
Several states have already banned flavored vaping products.
Last week, the Texas A&M University System announced it was starting an institution- wide ban on vaping.
