Doubtful.  The nicotine in vape liquid is still coming from tobacco, in fact, the vape industry might be spending MORE on raw tobacco, though lower grade of it.     I think this competition with tobacco industry is a somewhat dubious argument.  I believe some of these companies own the e cig makers What makes the most sense to me is that something BAD crept it's way into the Vape liquid supply chain and it's causing rando deaths.  Or peoople are buying STREET VAPE liquid, which honestly could be anything.  This is why you don't buy street drugs and why the US government should make illegal drugs to USDA/FDA standards and then legalize them :) Like others have mentioned, it would be really easy to kill a whole lot of people by putting some fent into a batch; or the synthetic cannabinoid analogue that causes cannibalism (spice) There are reports the spice adulteration has already happened, just last week