The Warren County Drug Task Force estimated that of all marijuana-related charges in the past year, over 2000 such cases involved confiscation of THC vapes.

Todd Young, deputy director of the Warren County Drug Task Force, said THC vapes have surged in popularity since the legalization of marijuana in several states. Young said THC vapes are especially popular among teenagers and young adults.

“I would say cases tend to involve the high school to the college-age crowd,” Young said. “Most THC vapes are trafficked through the mail from places where they’re legal, like California and Colorado, to Warren County.”

Law enforcement has struggled to identify THC vapes as a result of their discrete nature and lack of the smell associated with marijuana.

“Once vapes are out of their package, they’re easy to hide and can be disguised as other things, so officers have to know what to look for to catch them,” Young said.

Last week, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention continued to urge the public to avoid e-cigarette and vape products as the number of vape-related lung injuries reached 2,290 cases spanning 49 states — the majority being linked to THC vapes.

The surge of illnesses was first announced in a Sept. 6 telebriefing by Dana Meaney Delman, incident manager of the CDC’s response to the outbreak.

“Most importantly, while this investigation is ongoing, people should consider not using e-cigarette products,” Delman said. “People who do use e-cigarette products should monitor themselves for symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, or others) and promptly seek medical attention for any health concerns.”

The CDC analyzed 29 patients who had been admitted to hospitals for e-cigarette and vaping associated lung injuries (EVALI) and found that all were linked to Vitamin E acetate, an additive used to thicken THC vaping products.

As of Nov. 20, the CDC has reported 47 deaths nationwide linked to THC vapes since the start of the investigation.

Freshman Webb Bates said students generally continue to use THC vapes as many are unaware of the risk of illness. Other students aware of the outbreak have switched to other forms of marijuana.