What should I do if I am currently vaping marijuana/THC for medical use?
- At present, CDC recommends that people should not use e-cigarette, or vaping, products that contain THC.
- If you have recently used a THC-containing product in an e-cigarette, or vaping, product and you have symptoms like those reported in this outbreak see a healthcare provider.
- We do not know if there are different health effects of using different forms of marijuana, such as smoking, vaping, and edibles, to recommend transitioning from one mode of use to another to reduce harm. Talk with your healthcare provider about other available treatment options for the conditions).
How are states regulating THC-containing vaping products?
- Some states have legalized the use of THC-containing vaping products for nonmedical and/or medical purposes.
- State regulations vary with regard to product pre-approval processes, ingredient requirements and/or limitations, packaging and labeling, and testing requirements and methods. States typically conduct various levels of testing of products, including testing for potency, contaminants, metals, pesticides, and/or pathogens.
- Both THC-containing and nicotine-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products purchased legally within states might also contain harmful substances. It is difficult to know what is in these products, and full ingredient lists are typically not available. It is difficult to know what substances the products contain and potential for harm.
Should I get vaccinated for the flu if using e-cigarettes, or vaping, products?
- CDC recommends everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year by the end of October, including people who use e-cigarette, or vaping, products. Getting vaccinated later, however, can still be beneficial and vaccination should continue to be offered throughout the flu season, even into January or later. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations and deaths.
Flu is especially dangerous for pregnant women, people of any age with certain long-term health conditions, people 65 and older and young children. Check out Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine for more information.
If experiencing symptoms of lung injury, please see a healthcare provider right away. For the coming flu season, CDC recommends that healthcare providers strongly consider respiratory infections as well as lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products in all patients presenting with respiratory symptoms and a history of using these products.
Key Resources
CDC Resources
- E-cigarettes and Youth: What Parents Need to Knowpdf icon [PDF-1MB]
- Get the facts about electronic cigarettes, their health effects and the risks of using e-cigarettes
- What’s the Bottom Line About Electronic Cigarettes?
- What’s the Bottom Line on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults?
- Marijuana and Public Health
FDA Resources
SAMHSA Resource
Publications
- MMWR: MMWR: Update: Interim Guidance for Health Care Providers Evaluating and Caring for Patients with Suspected E-cigarette, or Vaping, Product Use Associated Lung Injury — United States, October 2019
- MMWR: Characteristics of a Multistate Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with E-cigarette Use, or Vaping — United States, 2019
- MMWR: E-cigarette Product Use or Vaping Among Persons with Associated Lung Injury — Illinois and Wisconsin, April–September 2019
- MMWR: Severe Pulmonary Disease Associated with Electronic-Cigarette–Product Use — Interim Guidance
- MMWR: Notes from the Field: Outbreak of Electronic-Cigarette Associated Acute Lipoid Pneumonia—North Carolina, July–August, 2019
- New England Journal of Medicine: Pulmonary Illness Related to E-Cigarette Use in Illinois and Wisconsin — Preliminary Reportexternal icon
If you have questions about CDC’s investigation into the lung injuries associated with use of electronic cigarette, or vaping, products, contact CDC-INFO or call 1-800-232-4636.
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