The CDC has updated its fatality and illness list due to illicit marijuana vaping. Now there have been 54 deaths and 2,506 hospitalizations. The culprit is Vitamin E acetate, needed to make marijuana tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)products into a vapor because, unlike nicotine, it does not dilute readily.

Most of the products were purchased from corrupt vendors and now DEA has seized 44 websites advertising the sale of illicit vaping cartridges containing THC. The sites were advertising THC vaping cartridges in various brand names alongside pictures and statements about THC levels or other information clearly indicating the items for sale would be considered a controlled substance under federal law.

To date, FDA laboratories have received over 1,200 samples from 31 states and one territory with roughly 1,004 of these samples connected to patients. These samples have been collected directly from consumers, hospitals, and state offices. They have included vaping devices and products containing varied levels of liquid as well as packaging and other documentation.



The FDA laboratories are analyzing samples for the presence of a broad range of chemicals, including nicotine, THC and other cannabinoids, along with cutting agents/diluents and other additives, pesticides, opioids, poisons, heavy metals and toxins. No one substance has been identified in all of the samples tested.

The websites that were seized directed people to order illicit THC vaping cartridges and make payments for orders through various financial services. Some of the websites seized were determined to exist solely to fraudulently obtain payments from people without ever intending to mail any product.