Joseph Lawrence, a 25-year-old man from the United States, has shared an important piece of advice to social media users after being rushed to the hospital over lung complications.
“Psa if you vape please consider quitting, had a hole in my lung the other day and had to be rushed to the ER because I could not breathe, thankfully I’m okay and it didn’t fully collapse,” the man wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“Please take care of yourselves and consider quitting, it’s not worth it,” he continued.
In the comments of his post, Joseph added that he vaped “every day for years” and that the incident occurred despite him quitting a year ago.
Image credits: j0elawrence
Electronic cigarettes are devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol or mix of small particles in the air.
Using an e-cigarette, also known as vaping, is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Most devices contain nicotine—the drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products—as well as flavorings and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol.
“Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s,” the CDC site reads.
“Some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could also be harmful to the lungs in the long term. For example, some e-cigarette flavorings may be safe to eat but not to inhale because the gut can process more substances than the lungs.”
“Please take care of yourselves and consider quitting, it’s not worth it,” Joseph wrote
Image credits: j0elawrence
As of February 18, 2020, a total of 2,807 hospitalized EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury) cases or deaths have been reported to the CDC from all 50 states of the United States.
Health officials point to vitamin E acetate (an additive in some THC-containing e-cigarettes) as the primary, but not the only, cause of EVALI, as per the American Lung Association. Among all the EVALI cases reported, 96% of patients required hospitalization.
Some people questioned Joseph’s post, saying they have never suffered any complications from vaping
Over 1 in 10 young adults in the United States regularly use e-cigarettes
Image credits: Olena Bohovyk
Despite this information, many people cast doubt on Joseph’s message, accusing him of fabricating a story in order to spread panic or go viral.
“So it’s been a year since your last vape, so you [have] just been walking around with a hole in your lung for a year and hitting the gym for those guns and abs no worries and then after a year of no vaping you had to be hospitalised?” someone inquired.
“Love the hospital thirst trap,” another user wrote.
A third person commented, “Bro I’ve vaped for 8 years without even a reduction in lung capacity it’s a skill issue I’m afraid.”
“Sorry dude, but the cause of your issue was misdiagnosed. You need better doctors. Preferably ones who specialize in health,” someone else claimed.
A total of 2,807 hospitalized EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury) cases or deaths have been reported in the US
Image credits: Anna Shvets
A separate individual accused the 25-year-old of “spreading corrupt and evil lies,” claiming that “vaping normal eLiquids with normal eCigarette-devices doesn’t harm anyone’s health. Never has and never will.”
After the backlash, Joseph responded to the “trolls” who questioned the veracity of his story in a subsequent X post.
“I’m tired of having my phone blow up with people saying I’m lying about a serious health scare that I had, if you don’t believe me that’s absolutely fine, keep smoking for all I care, this message was for the people in my life that follow me, not the trolls of the internet,” the young man wrote.
Experts are concerned about the growing use of e-cigarettes in the United States, especially among young people.
Over 1 in 10 young adults in the United States regularly use e-cigarettes, according to a CDC report from 2021. People aged 18–24 were the most likely to use them among all adults.
Research indicates that from 2020 to 2022, e-cigarette sales jumped in the United States to 22.7 million products sold each month.
“I hope you’re okay and get better soon,” someone wrote
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Donata Leskauskaite
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