A 32 year old woman in the US was admitted to the hospital and two litres of black and bloody liquid was removed from her lungs. She was addicted to vaping and has been vaping and using e-cigarettes since 2021.
“I was fully addicted,” the US woman Jordan Brielle told the DailyMail. “I was vaping so much that I slept with it, it went to the shower with me.”
Brielle is just one case among millions who are addicted to vaping, a comparatively new trend and are unknowingly pushing themselves towards damaging the lungs. “My skin was turning gray... I could barely do anything. Nobody knew what was actually wrong with me. I felt like I was dying,” Brielle told the media.
Upon diagnosis, her lungs were found to be heavily damaged and she was put into a coma before her lungs were drained out of the black liquid.
Vaping and popcorn lungs
Vaping, often seen as a safer alternative to smoking, poses significant risks to lung health. E-cigarettes use flavored liquids, which are aerosolized into vapor and inhaled. While these products may contain fewer harmful chemicals than traditional cigarettes, they are not harmless. The inhalation of substances like nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals can irritate and inflame the respiratory system. Some flavoring agents, like diacetyl, have been linked to serious lung diseases such as bronchiolitis obliterans, often referred to as "popcorn lung."
Vaping can damage the health irreversibly; common myths one should be aware of
Long-term vaping can result in 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 off infections, and lead to lung tissue damage. Additionally, vaping-related lung injuries (known as EVALI) have been reported, particularly among users who vape THC-containing products. Though vaping may be perceived as less harmful than smoking, emerging evidence indicates that it poses a real threat to lung health, particularly when used over an extended period or in high quantities; the example of Brielle is a glaring example of what vaping does to the health.
There are several myths that promote the popularity of vaping culture. The most common one is that vaping is safe because it contains fewer harmful chemicals compared to the 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 quit smoking. However, since vaping is a simulation of smoking, the habit tends to perpetuate the smoking behavior; therefore, people will face hard times quitting for a long time.
Another myth is that e-cigarette vapor is essentially water vapor. The truth is, vapors emitted by these devices contain a lot of chemicals including nicotine, volatile organic compounds VOCs, heavy metals, like lead, and ultrafine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs. These can cause irritation, oxidative stress, and even injury to the tissues within the lung and can consequently cause serious health issues over a long time.
The flavours used, also give the impression that flavored e-cigarettes are better than the tobacco-flavored ones. Flavoring makes vaping appealing to youth, thus increasing addiction and usage.
The myth that only vaping THC poses health risks has linked many lung injuries to vaping. The myth tells the wrong story about the safety of nicotine-based vapes, which, like their other products, expose the lungs to some risks of damage and create a potential for dependence, along with respiratory and cardiovascular issues. Though the risk profiles are different, neither THC nor nicotine vaping is safe.
World Lungs Day
World Lungs Day is celebrated on September 25 every year to create awareness around lungs health. This year's theme is Clean air and healthy lungs for all. The lungs play a crucial role in the body's respiratory system by facilitating the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. When we breathe in, oxygen from the air enters the lungs and passes into the bloodstream through tiny air sacs called alveoli. Simultaneously, carbon dioxide, a waste product from the body's metabolism, is transferred from the blood into the lungs to be exhaled. This process, known as gas exchange, is essential for supplying oxygen to the body's tissues and removing carbon dioxide, maintaining healthy cellular function and pH balance in the body.
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