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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 11, 2019)
Wednesday, September 11, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Oregon death is second linked to vaping By Gillian Flaccus Associated Press PORTLAND (AP) 4 Public health officials in Oregon said Wednesday, September 4, that a person who recently died of a severe respiratory illness had used an electronic cigarette contain- ing marijuana oil from a legal dispensary, the second death linked to vaping nationwide and the first tied to a vaping product bought at a pot shop. Officials have not deter- mined what sickened the mid- dle-aged adult, whether the product was contaminated or whether they may have added something to the liquid in the device after buying it, said Dr. Ann Thomas with the Oregon Health Authority. Thomas declined to name the brand of the product or the dispensary during the investi- gation and said it9s the only case of vaping-related ill- ness or death in Oregon that authorities know about. <Our investigation has not yielded exactly what it is in this product,= Thomas said. <At this point, some of the other states have more data than us.= As of last week, 215 pos- sible cases of severe lung dis- ease associated with the use of e-cigarettes had been reported by 25 states, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The battery-powered vaping devices can be used to inhale a flavored nicotine solution or a solution infused with mari- juana oil. Illinois officials on Friday reported what they consider the first death in the nation linked to vaping after the per- son contracted a serious lung disease. They didn9t say if the e-cigarette contained mari- juana oil or just nicotine. Health officials in some states have said a number of people who got sick had vaped products containing THC, the compound that gives marijuana its high. That9s a critical distinc- tion in the Oregon case, according to the American Vaping Association, which has blamed the recent spate of lung illnesses on illegal vape pens that contain THC. Wisconsin public health officials said late last month that 89% of the people they interviewed who became sick reported using e-cigarettes or other vaping devices to inhale THC. In New York state, 32 cases of vaping-related ill- ness have been reported, with a <vast majority= involving people who vape illicit mari- juana. None has involved medical marijuana products sold in compliance with state law. New York officials are focusing their investigation on an additive used in black- market vape oils made from vitamin E. A state health department spokeswoman said a lab has found <high levels= of vitamin E acetate in <nearly all= the marijuana samples involved. Officials cautioned, how- ever, that there have been respiratory illnesses diag- nosed where the vaping prod- uct did not contain marijuana. <It9s kind of scary and it9s hard to believe that any vaping is really safe at this point,= said Thomas, the Oregon doctor. In Oregon, where mari- juana is broadly legal for adults 21 and older, dispen- saries can9t sell products that have not been tested by state- accredited labs. Mark Pettinger, spokes- man for the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which oversees Oregon9s legal marijuana industry, said the investigation was in its early stages, but if it turns out the THC oil was implicated, his agency can track the product back to its origin and review all the testing results. In general, all marijuana intended for sale at a legal dispensary is tested for pesti- cides and potency, as well as for solvents, if the product is not dried marijuana flower. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden of WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO PROTECT YOUR HOME. Oregon said he will introduce legislation next week that would tax e-cigarettes in the same way as traditional ciga- rettes to reduce the appeal to teenagers who are increas- ingly taking up the popular smoking alternative. <The products are highly addictive. They9re subject to minimal safety standards and oversights, exposing users to dangerous chemicals ... and they are getting into the hands of more and more young peo- ple,= Wyden said. The American Vaping Association said in a state- ment that vaping products are <far less harmful than smok- ing= and have helped people break their addiction to tradi- tional cigarettes. <Making vaping products more expensive has not been shown to reduce experimen- tation by youth and will only lead to more adults continuing to smoke deadly combustible cigarettes,= association presi- dent Gregory Conley said in an email. Health experts say nico- tine is harmful to developing brains. Researchers worry that addicted teens will even- tually switch from vaping to smoking. The 2019 Sisters Movie House Autumn Arts Series kicks off with <Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool= at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17. This new critically acclaimed documentary gives insight into the jazz trum- peter, style icon, and musi- cal revolutionary through a series of interviews with his contemporaries and through Miles9 own words from his 1989 autobiography. The man behind the best-selling jazz album of all time (19599s <Kind of Blue=) was hardly a saint, and this film pulls no punches in exploring the com- plex individual that he was. <Miles is one of the musi- cal legends of the past cen- tury,= said Drew Kaza of Sisters Movie House. <We9re extremely excited to bring this to Sisters as yet another Central Oregon exclusive. It9s the perfect event to kick off the fall season.= Tickets are available at: www.sistersmoviehouse.com. Layer up for cool nights… LOCAL. RELIABLE. PROFESSIONAL 260 N. Pine St., Sisters Film focuses on ‘King of Cool’ Gypsy Wind Clothing FAMILY OWNED • SISTERS PROUD 541-549-4349 Licensed Bonded / Insured CCB#87587 Open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Sun., 1-4 p.m. Your passport to a world of fine cuisine... 351 W. HOOD AVE., SISTERS Spaghetti Feed & Bingo INDIA Wednesday, September 11, at 3 p.m. Enjoy a demo of tasty food, play trivia, and win prizes! ary Your Travel Itiner ednesday for the Second-W r: Happy-Hour Tou er 9 Germany ... Octob ber 13 Mexico ... Novem ber 11 Sweden ... Decem Your presence at each dinner earns you $250 credit as a future Seasons resident.* Attend three consecutive dinners and double your credit; bring a friend and triple it! *Must be 62 years or older and move in before 12-31-19. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 5 p.m. Luxury Senior Assisted & Independent Living 541-549-5634 Free to everyone, invite a friend! 17 Come for free lunch and a tour! 411 E. Carpenter Ln., Sisters www.Th eLodgeInSisters.com Bring your friends and join us for a free fun evening of games and prizes and a special meal from our kitchen. RSVP to 541-549-5634