Parents searching for answers as vaping deaths rise

Christie Ileto Image
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Parents searching for answers as vaping deaths rise
Parents searching for answers as vaping deaths rise. Christie Ileto has more on Action News at 10 p.m. on September 25, 2019.

WILLOW GROVE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- You can look, but you won't find any Juul products at Zoola Vapor in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

What was the decision to yank Juul off the shelves?

"The bad publicity the company was giving vaping as a whole," said Zoola Vapor, store manager John Hunt.

On Wednesday, Juul's CEO stepped down and is stopping all TV and digital advertisements as the CDC testified in Washington this week to use caution for all vaping products. Cases of lung injuries and deaths linked to vaping continue to climb.

What we know about vaping illness outbreak, deaths

"All of them are linked to illegal black market THC cartridges that are being cut with Vitamin E oil, none of that has to do with what's on the shelves here," Hunt said. "If it's products like off the shelves here that have been tested thoroughly, then you know what's going in them, then you know what you're getting."

SEE ALSO: US official expects 'hundreds more' cases of vaping illness

But many parents don't and want answers. That was the goal of a meeting at Hatboro Horsham High School.

"This is a real unknown and what they could be doing, could be really bad, worse than what they think it is," said David Kepniss

"Kids think it's fun but actually detrimental to their health," said Heather Scavo.

SEE ALSO: Juul CEO steps down, company suspends advertising in US

States across the country are acting fast: New Jersey is weighing a ban on the sale of vape products, Pennsylvania Governor is creating a task force to address the public health threat and the feds looking to yank flavored e-cigarettes from the market.

"Everything on your shelves is pretty much flavored?" asked reported Christie Ileto.

"Yes," said Hunt. "So any type of regulation, as for flavors is very detrimental. Flavors are a big part of vaping. Once you get off of that traditional tobacco taste, that's the last thing you want to go back to."