Six people have died from vaping-related causes, officials say. A Kansas City woman was the latest victim. CNN reported that as of last week, there have been nearly 500 cases of lung illnesses associated with e-cigarettes.

Separate states have been investigating this issue. CNN reported that New York officials discovered high levels of the chemical Vitamin E acetate in the vaping products they studied. This chemical was found in at least one product used by the people included in their investigation.

E-cigarettes were originally intended to help smokers quit. However, the CDC website says e cigarettes are “unsafe for youth, young adults, pregnant women or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.” The CDC also warns people that scientists are still learning whether vaping products really help smokers. 

The Trump administration plans to ban the sale of flavored vape products, multiple news outlets reported Wednesday. “We will not stand idly by as these products become an on-ramp to combustible cigarettes or nicotine addiction for a generation of youth,” the Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said.

 A student who wanted to remain anonymous was surprised when hearing multiple people had died from vaping. “I knew there was the possibility of lung issues, but vaping is more recently popular, and I did not think there would be such serious issues after only a few years of its popularity,” they said. 

On the Trump administration’s ban of flavored e-cigarette products, the student does not think it will have a huge impact on the high number of people who vape. “I don’t think that’ll have much of an effect because big tobacco has been so successful for so long,” they said. “I don’t see that changing unless the law for the legality of cigs changes.”

Other students weighed in on the news of vaping-related deaths. “I am not surprised” Brianna Hargraves ’22 said. “People are putting things into their body that they have no idea what they are. Scientists don’t even know what their long-term effects are.” 

Hargraves also adds that people who vape should have been aware of the risks, especially when using ones that contain nicotine, as it’s addictive. “There have been ties to popcorn lung, seizures and lung diseases with excessive vaping,” she says. “When you are introducing high levels of nicotine to your body that are not naturally occurring, you’re bound to interfere with some kind of biological system.”