Costa Rica’s first minor develops pulmonary syndrome due to vaping, sounds alarm

SAN JOSE, November 16 (EFE) – Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health reiterated on Thursday its ban on sales to minors after confirming the first case of a teenager diagnosed with severe pulmonary syndrome. and use of e-cigarette products. E-cigarettes have alarmed the authorities.

In Costa Rica, the sale to minors of electronic nicotine administration systems (ENDS), similar nicotine-free systems (SSSN), and electronic devices using heated tobacco and similar technologies is prohibited, the Ministry of Health noted in a statement. its accessories and other supplements, including the liquids used therein.”

The entity said the devices “affect the way our respiratory systems work” and “can cause infections in the lungs, whether caused by bacteria or viruses, and increase the risk of illnesses such as colds, pneumonia” and tuberculosis.

The ministry’s warning comes after the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) confirmed the country’s first case of a minor suffering from vaping-related pulmonary syndrome in early November.

The syndrome, known by its English abbreviation EVALI, “produces lung lesions associated with the use of electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, and occurred in a 16-year-old boy who had been vaping with this type of electronic device for more than 3 years. ” for several months. ” explained CCSS.

According to official reports, the teenager secretly smoked e-cigarettes every day with the help of his parents, and his condition led to him being hospitalized in the intensive care unit for nearly a month and requiring assisted mechanical ventilation.

According to Dr. Marny Ramos, CCSS Smoking Cessation Clinic Coordinator, patients with EVALI generally experience symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, blood in sputum, tachycardia, fever, cold sensation, fatigue and gastrointestinal reactions. . symptom.

According to experts, products used in e-cigarettes, whether or not they contain nicotine, can cause lung inflammation.

He added that nicotine is an irritant that can lead to dependence, but there is also formaldehyde, a carcinogen produced by vaporizers or tobacco heaters.

Both the Ministry of Health and CCSS are calling for awareness of the dangers of using vaping devices and asking parents to talk to their children about the effects of vaping.

CCSS data shows that in 2021, the company treated 13 patients with vaping-related respiratory illnesses, a number that grew exponentially until it reached 857 in 2023. EFE

dmm/adl/szg