Eighteen vaping-related deaths reported in the United States

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Eighteen people died in the United States following a mysterious respiratory illness linked to the use of electronic cigarettes and other vaping products, US health services reported on Thursday.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that over a thousand people had severe lung disorders that are or are likely to be related to vaping.

Health officials are increasing warnings to the public, urging users of electronic cigarettes to abstain for as long as the exact causes of the disease are identified.

A representative of the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the agency had collected more than 440 vape product samples from 18 US states for analysis.

"The samples show a mixture of results and no substance was identified in the tested samples," said Judy McMeekin.

The average age of the deceased is around 50, the youngest victim being in their twenties.

Investigators did not link the disease to any specific product or compound, but pointed to vaping oils containing THC – the psychotropic substance of cannabis -.

(Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago and Manas Mishra in Bangalore, Jean Terzian for French service)