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Symptoms cases per ten thousand people. The number-two to propylene glycol. The increased production
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of the novel city was Brockton, with one hundred eighty-five of biodiesel has glutted the market with glycerin,
cases per ten thousand—just over half as many making it inexpensive and widely available.
lung disease as Chelsea. 28 A paper analyzing ninety-eight cases of the
associated The 2002 article on Chelsea’s biodiesel novel lung disease in association with e-cigarette
with production plant concluded with the following usage described the symptoms as follows: “The
comment: “And there is one final hurdle for most common respiratory symptoms were short-
e-cigarette biodiesel advocates: What can be done with ness of breath (85%), cough (85%), and chest
usage match glycerin, a goopy byproduct of biodiesel refin- pain (52%). Reported gastrointestinal symptoms
extremely ing? Although glycerin is often used in food, included nausea (66%), vomiting (61%), diarrhea
well with the soap and cosmetics, it already is cheap and (44%), and abdominal pain (34%). All patients
had one or more constitutional symptoms, with
widely available, and the market for an addi-
symptoms of tional supply is unclear at best.” The answer to the most common being subjective fever (84%).
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Covid-19. this question becomes clear in the next section Upper respiratory symptoms such as rhinorrhea,
of this article. sneezing or congestion were not commonly
reported.” This matches extremely well with
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VAPING AND LUNG DISEASE the symptoms of Covid-19, also associated
Even before the Covid-19 epidemic hit, I with breathing difficulties, digestive issues, a
had become aware of a strange lung disease dry cough, a slight fever and a notable lack of
affecting people who regularly smoke e-cig- rhinorrhea (a runny nose).
arettes (electronic nicotine delivery systems). A very thorough investigation into the
E-cigarettes were first introduced into the U.S. effects of vaping fumes on mice—with an es-
market in 2007, and the market has been steadily pecially detailed analysis of the ways that the
growing ever since. I had been suspecting that disease affects the lungs—revealed a great deal
the cause of the unusual lung illness might more information about the characteristics of
be glyphosate contamination in e-cigarettes. the disease process. The mice were exposed
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Tobacco itself is a GMO Roundup-Ready crop, to vaping fumes for three months and subse-
so this could be one source, but other potential quently were infected with the flu virus. The
sources—specific to e-cigarettes—are the glyc- mice responded with an overactive adaptive
erin and propylene glycol additives. As we have immune response to the virus in the lungs, just
just seen, glycerin is a major waste product of as acute cases of Covid-19 are associated with
biodiesel production, and it is easily converted an overactive adaptive immune response.

FIGURE 2. Chelsea stands out
starkly in the statistics on Covid-19
infections in Massachusetts.

32 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2020