New Mayo Clinic Study: Vaping Injuries Tied To Toxic Mustard Gas Chemicals

A new study by the Mayo Clinic was released this week, in which researchers looked at the lung injuries associated with vaping. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, determined that the injuries from vaping are likely caused by tissue damage or direct toxicity that rises from noxious chemical fumes.

During the study, researchers assessed lung biopsies related to 17 patients who vaped and were thought to have experienced an associated lung injury. Researchers determined that the injuries were not caused by accumulation of lipids, or fats.

Dr. Larsen, the study’s senior author, sated in the report about the study,

“We were not surprised by what we found, regarding toxicity. We have seen a handful of cases, scattered individual cases, over the past two years where we've observed the same thing, and now we are seeing a sudden spike in cases. Our study offers the first detailed review of the abnormalities that may be seen in lung biopsies to help clinicians and pathologists make a diagnosis in an appropriate clinical context.”

Dr. Larsen also explained therein that it can be difficult to diagnose lung injuries from vaping, unless clinicians and pathologists have information beforehand.

He continued,

“This is a public health crisis, and a lot of people are working frantically around the clock to find out what the culprit or culprits could be — and what chemicals may be responsible. Based on what we have seen in our study, we suspect that most cases involve chemical contaminants, toxic byproducts or other noxious agents within vape liquids.”

He further stated,

“Everyone should recognize that vaping is not without potential risks, including life-threatening risks, and I think our research supports that. It would seem prudent based on our observations to explore ways to better regulate the industry and better educate the public, especially our youth, about the risks associated with vaping.”

All information is for general informational and educational purposes only. Nothing should be interpreted as legal or medical advice.