What Is Vitamin E Acetate? The Additive Behind Vape Lung | TribeTokes
Vitamin E acetate is a thick, oily additive that was used to dilute or cut black-market THC vape carts, and it is the ingredient most strongly linked to the 2019 EVALI outbreak of serious vaping lung injuries. The CDC found it in the lung fluid of nearly every hospitalized patient it tested, and health agencies say it should never be added to any vape. It turned up almost entirely in illicit, unregulated carts rather than lab-tested ones, so a published COA and a regulated source are the clearest way to avoid it.
Vitamin E acetate is cheap and oily, which made it an easy way for illicit producers to stretch vape oil and mimic the thickness of quality extract. The problem is inhaling it. During the 2019 and 2020 EVALI outbreak, which the CDC tied to thousands of hospitalizations and dozens of deaths, investigators found vitamin E acetate in the lung fluid of the overwhelming majority of patients they sampled. It is considered safe to swallow in a supplement or rub on your skin, but when it is heated and breathed into the lungs it behaves very differently, which is why the CDC says it should never be in a vape. It is also a separate issue from popcorn lung, which is tied to a flavoring chemical; see can you get popcorn lung from weed vapes.
The important detail for buyers is where it showed up: informal, unregulated, and counterfeit THC carts, not third-party-tested products from regulated sources. That is the whole reason a certificate of analysis matters. A real COA screens for exactly this kind of additive, so you can confirm what is and is not in the oil. On our end, every vape is third-party tested and the results are public, so you can see for yourself that there is no vitamin E acetate in it. To understand what else separates a clean cart from a risky one, see what is in a vape cart, and if you are worried about counterfeits, here is how to spot a fake cart.
Frequently asked questions
What Is Vitamin E Acetate? The Additive Behind Vape Lung
Vitamin E acetate is a thick, oily additive that was used to dilute or cut black-market THC vape carts, and it is the ingredient most strongly linked to the 2019 EVALI outbreak of serious vaping lung injuries. The CDC found it in the lung fluid of nearly every hospitalized patient it tested, and health agencies say it should never be added to any vape. It turned up almost entirely in illicit, unregulated carts rather than lab-tested ones, so a published COA and a regulated source are the clearest way to avoid it.
What is vitamin E acetate?
It is an oily form of vitamin E used as a cheap cutting agent to dilute illicit THC vape oil. It is fine in skincare or supplements but harmful when heated and inhaled from a vape.
Why is vitamin E acetate dangerous in vapes?
When inhaled it can coat and injure lung tissue. The CDC found it in the lung fluid of nearly all EVALI patients it tested and identified it as the additive most strongly linked to that outbreak.
Is vitamin E acetate still in vape carts?
It mainly appears in illicit, unregulated carts. Lab-tested products from regulated sources screen for it on the COA, which is why where you buy and whether there is a COA matter most.
How do I avoid vitamin E acetate?
Buy only lab-tested carts with a current COA from a regulated source, and avoid carts from informal or street sellers, which is where the additive has been found.
Does vaping cause popcorn lung?
Popcorn lung is tied to diacetyl, a flavoring chemical, not to vitamin E acetate, so they are different issues. We cover it separately in can you get popcorn lung from weed vapes.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Vaping is not risk-free, and you should not inhale from a burnt, empty, or damaged cartridge. Buy only third-party lab-tested vapes with a COA, since unregulated or counterfeit carts can contain harmful additives. TribeTokes products are hemp-derived and contain less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC under the 2018 Farm Bill, and are intended for adults 21 and over. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.