UK Edition
Death of factory worker is first in Britain linked to vaping
Britain's first death linked to vaping has emerged after doctors said they believed a factory worker’s pneumonia was cause by oil from an e-cigarette in his lungs.
Terry Miller’s widow Glynis has now warned “don't let anyone tell you they are safe” despite assurances from public health authorities.
It came as a report from the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency revealed that in the last five years 200 health problems in the UK, including pneumonia and heart disease, have been linked to the use of the devices.
Mr Miller was just 57 when he died from lipoid pneumonia attributed to using e-cigarettes in 2010.
A post-mortem report said: “It was thought that he may have developed lipoid pneumonia from the inhalation of oil-blended concentrated nicotine from the device.”
An inquest into the glass-factory worker’s death recorded an open verdict.
Mrs Miller said that after they discovered a build up of oil on her husband’s lungs the doctor told her he was “as certain as he could be” that it was caused by the e-cigarettes Mr Miller had been using to try and quit smoking.
Mrs Miller, 66, of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, said: "I want people to know that despite what Public Health England may say about them being 95% safer than cigarettes, these things can kill.
"People are puffing away on them thinking they're totally safe and they aren't. Our family was left devastated."
"For all this time I've been telling everyone I can that it just isn't safe and it's only now nine years later that people are finally starting to question it.
"Terry was only 57 and had so much of his life ahead of him. Our daughters and grandchildren were distraught and it pains me so much to think of all the big moments in their lives that Terry has missed."
It follows warnings across the US, with more than 500 cases of lung damage linked to vaping reported and seven deaths reported in the last few weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.