CA Health Dept. Urges No Vaping Amid 4th Death Reported in State

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California public health officials are urging people to stop vaping and using e-cigarettes as a fourth death related to vaping was reported in the state.

The state’s Department of Public Health said Wednesday 161 people have been hospitalized for severe breathing problems and lung damage since August.

Marin County’s Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Wednesday the death of a previously healthy woman in her 40s who had started vaping six months ago.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified Vitamin E acetate as a “potential chemical of concern” but has yet to rule out other causes or ingredients.

More than 2,000 Americans who vape have gotten sick since March, many of them teenagers and young adults. The CDC says at least 40 people have died.