Dangerous additives found in illegal pot vaping products

Potentially deadly additives were found in marijuana vape cartridges seized in December raids of illegal shops in Los Angeles, officials reported Monday.

The additives included the thickening agent vitamin E acetate, which has been implicated in an outbreak of deadly respiratory illnesses linked to vaping, the Associated Press reported.

Officials also said that products seized in the raids typically were not as potent as claimed, and some had just a fraction of the tetrahydrocannabinol claimed on the labels.

"The prevalence of dirty and dangerous vape pens at unlicensed cannabis stores demonstrate how important it is for consumers to purchase cannabis goods from licensed retailers, which are required to sell products that meet state testing and labeling standards," Lori Ajax, head of the California Bureau of Cannabis Control, told the AP.