Pot Vaping Companies Face New York Probe As Sickness Spreads

NEW YORK — A spate of illnesses linked to marijuana vaping has spurred New York State officials to investigate companies selling the products that may have caused the sickness.

Three companies that make thickeners used in marijuana vape cartridges will get subpoenas from the state Department of Health as the agency probes what exactly has sickened dozens of people across New York, officials said Monday.

While the products that apparently led to the illnesses were bought on the black market, state officials urged New Yorkers not to use any legal or illegal vaping products as they work to find out what exactly is in them.

"Common sense says if you don’t know what you are smoking, don’t smoke it," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a Monday news conference in Manhattan. "And right now we don’t know what you’re smoking in a lot of these vaping substances."

The Health Department will issue subpoenas to Honey Cut Labs LLC, Floraplex Terpenes and Mass Terpenes to get more information about the potentially risky fillers they sell, and more companies may be ordered to give samples, state officials said.

The Democratic governor said he will propose legislation to ban flavored e-cigarettes across the state. The Department of Health will also require merchants who sell the devices to post warnings about their health risks, he said.

The Health Department has identified 41 people, including 10 in New York City, with severe lung illnesses who used at least one cannabis vape product. Tests of samples from patients have found high levels of vitamin E acetate, which damages air sacks in the lungs when inhaled, said Dr. Howard Zucker, the state health commissioner.

The chemical is frequently used to cut cannabis vape products sold on the black market, Zucker said. Devices containing it come in colorful packages branded with the words "Sour Patch," "Runtz" and "Diamond OG," according to photos the health department released.

"What’s happened in the black market is they’re putting cannabis into a cylinder to use as a vaping product," Zucker said. "Let’s say they use half of it for that and they fill it up with a vitamin E acetate."

Authorities have not found vitamin E acetate in commercial vaping products sold in stores. But state officials nonetheless warned against vaping at all until more information is available about the chemicals in the products and their possible health risks.

"We’re suggesting to everyone in New York to err on the side of caution until we have more information," Zucker said.

In an unsigned statement, Michigan-based Floraplex Terpenes said it will cooperate with probes of vaping but continue distributing its products. Vaping-related sickness "is not a medical mystery awaiting a single solution, but multiple issues with multiple causes," the company said.

"The investigations related to vaping products and ingredients are essential," Floraplex told Patch in a statement Tuesday evening. "Our sympathy and condolences go out to all who have suffered from these events. Floraplex will work with all appropriate governmental agencies in a transparent and constructive way."

Mass Terpenes did not respond to a request for comment submitted through its website. Honey Cut Labs's website appears to have been disabled and contact information for the company was not immediately available.

This story has been updated with a statement from Floraplex Terpenes.