E-cigarette
E-cigaretteNati Shohat/Flash 90

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday issued a warning urging people to avoid using electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, before an investigation has determined the cause of a recent outbreak of severe pulmonary disease associated with the products.

"CDC, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state and local health departments, and other clinical and public health partners are investigating a multistate outbreak of severe pulmonary disease associated with e-cigarette product (devices, liquids, refill pods, and/or cartridges) use. This investigation is ongoing and has not identified a cause, but all reported cases have a history of using e-cigarette products," CDC noted.

According to CDC's site, "as of September 6, 2019, over 450 possible cases of lung illness associated with the use of e-cigarette products have been reported to CDC from the following 33 states and 1 US territory, and five deaths have been confirmed in California, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Oregon."

Since there has been no evidence of infectious disease, the lung illnesses - spread across the US - are likely associated with chemical exposure. All patients reported using e-cigarettes, but no specific substance or product was found to be linked to all the cases.

However, many of the patients reported using e-cigarette products containing cannabinoid products such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Regardless of the investigations, CDC recommends that youth, young adults, pregnant women, and non-smokers avoid using e-cigarettes and vaping products.

"Investigations are ongoing," CDC wrote. "CDC will provide updates when more information is available."