---
title: "Investigation Finds Cyanide, a Literal Poison, in Vape Cartridges"
description: "In a new investigation, NBC News tested bootleg vape cartridges — and found that they all contained a chemical that can turn into hydrogen cyanide."
date: "2019-09-27"
modified: "2019-09-27"
authors:
  - name: "Jon Christian"
    job_title: "Executive Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jonc"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/investigation-cyanide-poison-vape-cartridges"
categories:
  - "Chemistry"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "cyanide"
  - "poison"
  - "vaping"
---

# Investigation Finds Cyanide, a Literal Poison, in Vape Cartridges

![In a new investigation, NBC News tested bootleg vape cartridges — and found that they all contained a chemical that can turn into hydrogen cyanide.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cyanide-poison-thc-vape.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

Prepare to meet your vape god.

In a [new investigation](<https://www.nbcnews.com/health/vaping/tests-show-bootleg-marijuana-vapes-tainted-hydrogen-cyanide-n1059356>), *NBC News* tested 10 bootleg THC vape cartridges — and found that every single one contained a fungicide that, when heated, can turn into hydrogen cyanide, the literal poison used for the [mass-suicide at Jonestown](<https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/jonestown-how-did-it-feel-to-die-of-cyanide-poisoning>).

The investigation comes as a mysterious vaping-related respiratory ailment, now [linked to 12 deaths](<https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/26/cdc-says-vaping-lung-cases-surge-52percent-in-the-last-week-to-805-with-at-least-12-deaths.html>), is sweeping the country.

Some researchers [have blamed](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/chemical-causing-vaping-disease>) the deaths and hospitalizations on Vitamin E acetate, a compound that shows up in many vape pens. But a consensus on the cause of the outbreak remains elusive.

*NBC*'s investigation doesn't necessarily prove that cyanide is the cause of vape lung. But it's certainly a worrisome new piece of the puzzle.

"You certainly don’t want to be smoking cyanide," Antonio Frazier, the vice president of operations at cannabis testing lab CannaSafe, told *NBC*. "I don’t think anyone would buy a cart that was labeled hydrogen cyanide on it."

## Author
I'm responsible for editing, assigning, and scouting at Futurism, as well as occasionally writing for the site. That work involves keeping an eye on a wide range of narratives and issues, but over the past few years I've become increasingly interested in how AI is shaping the future of media, the web, and information itself. My day-to-day often involves collaborating on reporting and commentary projects bylined by my colleagues, but I try to find time to do my own reporting as well; stories I've broken for Futurism have been cited by publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Wired, Ars Technica, New York Magazine, the Columbia Journalism Review, Bloomberg, and more. I grew up in Southern Vermont and attended Vanderbilt University. Prior to Futurism, I contributed to outlets including the Boston Globe, Vice, Wired, Slate, the Atlantic, the Outline, Ars Technica and more, and did stints in farming and food service. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, and in my free time I enjoy pinball, word games, cycling, running, and music production.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/jonchristian.net>)