A 32-year-old woman in the US was hospitalized and two liters of black, bloody fluid was removed from her lungs. He is addicted vaping and have been vaping and using e-cigarettes starting in 2021.
“I’m addicted,” US woman Jordan Brielle told DailyMail. “I smoked a lot, I slept with him, then he went to the bathroom with me.”
Brielle is just one case among millions of people addicted to vaping, a relatively new trend and unknowingly pushing themselves to damage their lungs. “My skin turned gray… No one knew what was wrong with me. I felt like I was dying,” Brielle told the media.
Upon diagnosis, her lungs were found to be severely damaged and she was in a coma before her lungs drained of black fluid.
Vaping and popcorn lungs
Vaping, often considered a safer alternative to smoking, poses significant risks lung health. E-cigarettes use flavored liquids, which are aerosolized into vapor and inhaled. Although these products contain fewer chemicals than traditional cigarettes, they are not harmful. Inhaling substances like nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals can irritate and burn the respiratory system. Some flavoring agents, such as diacetyl, have been associated with serious lung diseases such as bronchiolitis obliterans, often referred to as “popcorn lung.”
Vaping can cause irreversible health damage; common myths to be aware of
Long-term vaping can cause symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Studies have shown that vaping can impair lung function, reduce the body’s ability to fight infection, and cause lung tissue damage. In addition, vaping-related lung injuries (known as EVALI) have been reported, particularly among users who smoke THC-containing products. Although vaping may be considered less harmful than smoking, emerging evidence suggests that vaping is very harmful to lung health, especially when used over a long period of time or in large quantities; for example Brielle is a clear example of what vaping does for health.
There are several myths that promote the popularity of vaping culture. The most common is that vaping is safe because it contains fewer chemicals than traditional cigarettes. Chemicals in flavorings and additives can cause lung irritation and diseases such as bronchiolitis obliterans or popcorn lung.
According to many, vaping can help you quit smoking. However, because vaping simulates smoking, the habit tends to perpetuate smoking behavior; therefore, people will face hard times out for a long time.
Another myth is that e-cigarette vapor is actually water vapor. In fact, the vapor emitted by these devices contains many chemicals including nicotine, volatile organic compounds VOC, heavy metals, like lead, and ultrafine particles that can penetrate into the lungs. This can cause irritation, oxidative stress, and even tissue damage in the lungs and can lead to serious health problems in the long term.
The flavor used also gives the impression that electronic cigarettes taste better than cigarettes. The flavor of vaping attracts youth, thus increasing addiction and use.
The myth that only vaping THC poses health risks has linked many lung injuries to vaping. These myths tell a false story about the safety of nicotine-based vapes, which, like other products, expose the lungs to some risk of damage and create the potential for dependence, along with respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Although the risk profiles are different, neither THC nor nicotine vaping is safe.
World Lung Day
World Lung Day is celebrated on 25th September every year to create awareness about lung health. This year’s theme is Clean Air and Healthy Lungs for All. The lungs play an important role in the body’s respiratory system by facilitating the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. When we breathe, oxygen from the air enters the lungs and enters the bloodstream through tiny air sacs called alveoli. At the same time, carbon dioxide, a waste product of the body’s metabolism, is transferred from the blood to the lungs to be exhaled. This process, known as gas exchange, is essential for supplying oxygen to body tissues and removing carbon dioxide, maintaining healthy cellular function and pH balance in the body.
