The recent rise of acute lung illnesses and deaths linked to vaping has caught the attention of Northwell Health pulmonologist Dr. Ernest Vomero.

“There is no upside or benefit from vaping,” he says.

Vomero says in the past month, two patients were treated at Northwell Health with acute lung injuries as a result of vaping.

“Both were younger people, both were hospitalized with abnormal chest x-rays and cat scans,” he says.

Vomero says they were lucky - they were treated with steroids and got better. He says statewide, 34 people have gotten sick. Investigators say eight samples from the vape pens showed high levels of a compound called vitamin E acetate, which reports say may be contributing to the illnesses.

“This vitamin E has been implicated or the oil component of the vitamin E that is leading to toxic inhalation injury in the lung,” says Vomero.

Many Long Islanders News 12 talked to say something more needs to be done to educate people on the dangers of e-cigarettes