Juul CEO Admits Vaping Diseases Are 'Worrisome' But Will Continue Selling Vape Anyway

Juul Labs, Inc., the electronic cigarette company with over 40 percent of the market for e-cigarettes in the U.S., is taking the heat for a growing number of persons -- including many teens -- afflicted with a mysterious lung disease linked to vaping.

It produces the Juul e-cigarette, which contains nicotine salts from leaf tobacco packed into one-time use cartridges. This e-cig used in vaping is the most popular in the U.S. and is especially liked by teens for its design and ease of use.

The use and misuse of Juul e-cigs, as well as those made by other firms, is being implicated by health authorities as the probable cause of what’s being called "vaping-associated acute lung injury." Only last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 31 confirmed cases of this illness as of Aug. 23.

This list of victims has risen dramatically in less than a week. CDC on Wednesday reported nearly 200 possible cases of acute lung injury in at least 22 states, which might be lined to vaping (now also called juuling).

Juul Labs CEO Kevin Burns described this outbreak as "worrisome."

"Worrisome for the category," Burns told "CBS This Morning."

"Worrisome for us if we contributed to it."

Burns said CDC is in "close contact" with Juul as it investigates the spread of this illness.

"We'd like to get all the specifics that we can…" he said. "We want to make sure we have access to the information, so if there's any issue that was driven, associated with us, that we can get to the root cause and understand that."

Symptoms of vaping-associated acute lung injury include difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain. A number of patients have also reported fever, cough, vomiting and diarrhea.

CDC said there has been no consistent evidence an infectious disease is responsible for the illness. It said some of the cases appear similar. It can't be certain if the illnesses are associated with the e-cigarette devices themselves or with specific ingredients and contaminants inhaled through them.

Burns believes many of the cases are related to THC, the compound in marijuana that causes a high. Juul does not produce or market THC pods but these are known to be sold in the U.S. and Europe. One user wrote in his blog he paid €15 for a pack of four THC Pods using the Juul brand name in Amsterdam.

"Well, I don't know if it's tied to vaping even associated with nicotine products," claims Burns. "Most of the early reports have indicated it's related to THC."

Burns avers of the illnesses that have any specifics seem to be related to THC.

"We don't have the details on all those reports. If there was any indication that there was an adverse health condition related to our product, I think we'd take very swift action associated with it."

Burns asserted that "until we see some facts," he feels confident enough to keep Juul on the market.