Paraquat lung

Paraquat lung

Pulmonology A lung disease caused by the weed killer Paraquat/dipyridylium, used by the ATF–Dept of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms to destroy marijuana plants; drug dealers may harvest the tainted marijuana and sell it which, smoked, may cause pulmonary fibrosis and ARDS; Paraquat may cause lung damage by inhalation, GI absorption or through intact skin; ingestion rapidly causes death due to respiratory failure due to proliferative alveolitis with ↓ O₂ exchange across alveoli, hemorrhage, bronchiolitis and hyaline membrane formation; paraquat also damages the kidneys, liver, mouth, esophagus. See Pulmonary fibrosis.