The Vaping Illness

Updated March, 2026

Setting the Record Straight: The 2019 Vaping Illness

This post was written during one of the most turbulent periods in vaping history. We're keeping it up because the misinformation from that time still circulates, and the facts are still worth knowing.

What Was "The Vaping Illness"?

In 2019, a wave of serious lung illnesses swept across the United States, quickly labelled "The Vaping Illness" by media outlets. It spread fast, the coverage was intense, and it triggered flavour bans across multiple US states almost overnight. For anyone in the vaping community, it was a stressful and frustrating time - not because the illness wasn't real, but because the cause was being misrepresented almost immediately.

Within days, credible sources began identifying the actual culprit: black market THC cartridges laced with Vitamin E Acetate (Tocopheryl Acetate). Vitamin E Acetate was used as a cheap cutting agent to stretch product and reduce costs. The problem is that it's an oil - and oils are not safe to inhale. When introduced to the lungs, it coats the tissue and causes lipoid pneumonia, a form of pulmonary disease. Had these products been manufactured in a certified lab with proper ingredient oversight, this never would have happened.

The illness was real. The cause was black market, unregulated THC cartridges - not commercial vaping products.

Where Vape360 Stood Then, and Stands Now

Vape360 has never, and will never, sell products that contain known harmful ingredients. Every vape juice product that we carry comes from reputable manufacturers operating in certified labs, using ingredients approved by the relevant governing bodies. We vape the same products we sell - that's not a marketing line, it's just true.

eJuice has always been positioned as a harm reduction tool for people looking to move away from combustible tobacco. Our target market has always been current smokers. If you've ever visited one of our locations, you'll know we don't recommend vaping to anyone who isn't already a smoker. We've held that position since we opened in 2014 and we're not changing it. We're not naive - inhaling anything into your lungs isn't without risk. Harm reduction is the goal, not a zero-risk promise. We're here because we're ex-smokers who wanted a cleaner alternative, and we built a business around that.

What You Should Never Inhale

Whether you're vaping nicotine-based vape juice or anything else - never inhale a product that is not water-soluble. That includes Vitamin E Acetate, MCT Coconut Oil, fatty acids, lipids of any kind, and food colourings. These substances are not safe to inhale and were directly responsible for the 2019 illnesses. Stick to reputable retailers who have done their homework and built relationships with certified manufacturers - not products sourced from unregulated markets.

On Teen Vaping

Teen vaping became bundled into the 2019 story almost immediately, and it's a topic we've always taken seriously. Anyone who's visited our stores or walked into one of our locations knows we don't take underage sales lightly. Every one of our staff is trained and vetted on this. Online, every order ships with a 19+ signature requirement - no government-issued photo ID, no delivery.

To the person who got carded at 42 years old last week - we hope you took it as the compliment it was intended to be.

A Note on Sources

The most widely cited study on vaping versus combustible tobacco remains the 2015 report from what was then Public Health England - now the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) - which found e-cigarettes to be around 95% less harmful than tobacco. It remains one of the most referenced pieces of research in harm reduction discussions.

If you have questions about any of this, reach out to us at info@vape360.ca or stop by one of our locations. We're always happy to talk through it.

• https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/vaping-pulmonary-illness.html
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nicotine-vaping-in-england-2022-evidence-update