At least 450 people, including six dead, have appeared to contract lipoid pneumonitis, a condition which presents itself with symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain.

While investigators were initially baffled as to what would cause this, they found a connection to vaping, and as of this date, signs are pointing to thickening agents, particularly vitamin E acetate, a substance that if inhaled unvaporized, can cause the pulmonary reactions as the lungs try to rid itself of the lipids. This current spate of vape-related illnesses and deaths have served to highlight why cannabis benefits from regulations, the dangers of black-market marijuana products, and has taken out flavored nicotine vape products as collateral damage.

Thanks to cannabis’ federal status as a Schedule I drug, there exists no way to safely track the chain of custody for all marijuana sold in the US. Obviously, there is no lab testing requirement, no packaging regulations, and no labeling rules for cannabis and cannabis products on the black markets, both in states where a legal market exists and where cannabis remains illegal.