Teen’s Vaping Sends Him to ICU After Coughing Blood: Doctors Reveal Shocking Lung Damage

You wouldn’t hand a 12-year-old a pack of cigarettes. But today, many are inhaling the equivalent of 50 a day, through flavored vapor.

It doesn’t smell like smoke. It doesn’t leave yellow stains. It comes in watermelon, bubblegum, and mango. So how bad could it be?

For Jayden Richardson, a teenager from Shropshire who started vaping to fit in, the answer came violently and without warning—pints of blood, uncontrollable coughing, and a diagnosis doctors didn’t expect to give a 17-year-old. His lungs were scarred, not just irritated. And the damage wasn’t theoretical. It was visible. Measurable. Permanent.

His story isn’t rare. It’s just one of the few that made it far enough to be caught.

A Teenager’s Crisis: When Vaping Turned Deadly

Jayden began vaping at 12 years old. Like many teens, he was surrounded by peers who did it, and it felt normal. Harmless, even. No smoke, no ash, no smell—just flavor. By the time he was 17, he was going through one 10ml bottle of vape liquid every two to three days. That’s the nicotine equivalent of about 50 cigarettes daily. And it caught up to him fast.

The first warning came on the final day of a family holiday in Turkey. A minor chest discomfort the night before turned into something much more serious the next morning. After a few puffs on his vape, Jayden started coughing. Initially, it seemed like phlegm. But then he spit into the sink and saw blood. Not streaks, but volume. Within hours, while swimming, he began violently coughing up thick amounts of blood into his hands. He was pulled from the pool in panic.

When he landed back in the UK, he coughed up even more blood at the airport. He was rushed to the hospital. The initial suspicion? A stomach ulcer, maybe worsened by greasy food or alcohol during the trip. His mother described the blood as vomit, which led doctors down the wrong track. Lung x-rays were clear. They searched for gastrointestinal causes, even questioned if it could be severe nosebleeds. No one expected a 17-year-old to show signs of significant lung injury.

It wasn’t until a week later, after an endoscopy, that the real cause was revealed. His lungs were severely damaged—visibly scarred and inflamed. The consultant said it was some of the worst lung damage he had ever seen in someone that young. The cause: excessive vaping.

Jayden had unknowingly pushed his lungs past their limit. What looked like a habit had turned into chemical trauma, and his respiratory system was the target.

Even after quitting, the effects lingered. Months later, on his birthday, he gave in to a few puffs. Within minutes, his symptoms returned. Blood. Pain. Difficulty breathing. That brief exposure was enough to trigger another episode, confirming what doctors feared—his lungs hadn’t recovered. They might never fully recover.

Today, Jayden still deals with chest pain, particularly on the left side. Sharp, stabbing pain. Pain that flares with nothing more than a cough. He’s now awaiting more scans to determine the extent of the damage.

This isn’t an outlier case. It’s what can happen when chronic exposure to toxic chemicals in vaping aerosols is allowed to build unchecked in developing lungs. Jayden thought vaping was safer. That belief nearly cost him his life.

What Vaping Really Does to the Lungs

Many teens—and adults—assume vaping is safer than smoking because it doesn’t involve burning tobacco. But “safer” doesn’t mean safe. And the truth is, vaping delivers a different set of hazards straight into the lungs, some of which can cause damage even faster than cigarettes.

Despite the marketing, what’s inhaled from an e-cigarette isn’t just “water vapor.” It’s an aerosol containing ultrafine particles, heavy metals like lead and nickel, volatile organic compounds, and often high concentrations of nicotine. Many of these substances are toxic to lung tissue. The lungs were never designed to handle repeated exposure to these irritants at this frequency or intensity.

One of the most well-documented dangers is EVALI—E-cigarette or Vaping-Associated Lung Injury. First identified in 2019, it’s a form of acute lung inflammation that can progress rapidly, leading to respiratory failure. In severe cases, like Jayden’s, it causes bleeding, scarring, and permanent loss of lung function. Some patients have required intensive care or mechanical ventilation.

Another risk is bronchiolitis obliterans, often called “popcorn lung.” It’s linked to inhalation of diacetyl, a chemical still found in some vape flavorings. This condition scars the smallest airways in the lungs, narrowing them and making it progressively harder to breathe. It’s irreversible.

While cigarette-related lung disease often builds over decades, vaping operates differently. The damage can be aggressive and fast, especially in younger lungs. Jayden’s case is a textbook example: within five years of use—starting from age 12—he had visible, structural lung damage. That kind of timeline is rare in traditional tobacco use.

Teenagers are particularly vulnerable. Because their lungs are still developing, they may be more susceptible to inflammation and long-term respiratory damage from inhaled substances like e-cigarette vapor. Multiple studies and reviews have linked youth vaping to increased airway resistance and respiratory symptoms, such as chronic bronchitis, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Some evidence suggests a dose-response trend, where frequent vaping is associated with more severe respiratory symptoms and greater impairment.

And unlike a broken bone, lung tissue doesn’t heal cleanly. Once scarred, that tissue doesn’t regenerate. In Jayden’s case, even one brief relapse months after quitting triggered another episode of coughing up blood. His lungs remembered. They hadn’t recovered.

Vaping doesn’t feel harsh, so the damage is easy to ignore—until it isn’t.

Why Teens Are Especially Vulnerable

Adolescents aren’t just smaller adults. Their bodies, especially their lungs and brains, are still developing, which makes them more susceptible to long-term damage from substances like nicotine and chemical aerosols. That’s why vaping during the teenage years is especially risky.

From a respiratory standpoint, the lungs continue maturing well into early adulthood. During this time, the airways and alveoli (the tiny sacs responsible for gas exchange) are still growing and adapting. Repeated exposure to toxic particles, heavy metals, and synthetic chemicals from vape aerosols can inflame and scar these tissues before they’re fully developed. Once that scarring sets in, it’s permanent. There’s no “reset” button for lung damage.

On the neurological side, nicotine acts like a key that fits directly into the brain’s reward system. In a developing brain, it doesn’t just trigger a short-term craving—it rewires how the brain processes pleasure, attention, and stress. The younger someone starts using nicotine, the more deeply those circuits are altered, and the harder it is to quit. That’s not just theory—it’s reflected in how quickly teens like Jayden become dependent, often without realizing it’s happening.

Modern vape devices deliver extremely high doses of nicotine in a short time. Some disposable vapes or pods contain the nicotine equivalent of an entire pack of cigarettes. Because vaping is easy to hide and doesn’t carry the social stigma of smoking, usage becomes frequent and casual. Teens often vape throughout the day, leading to sustained nicotine exposure and addiction that forms fast and runs deep.

Marketing plays a role, too. Vape products are designed to appeal to young users, sweet flavors, sleek designs, and disposable convenience. The barrier to entry is low. And once the habit forms, it’s hard to break.

Jayden started vaping at 12, thinking it was normal. By 17, he was vaping at a level equivalent to 50 cigarettes a day. He didn’t feel like he was overusing it. That’s the trap. Most teens don’t. They think they’re just following the crowd. They don’t recognize the early signs of damage because the product doesn’t feel dangerous.

But when the damage shows up, it shows up fast. And in some cases, like Jayden’s, it shows up in the blood.

What Parents, Teens, and Adults Need to Know

Jayden’s story isn’t unusual because of how it ended. It’s unusual because he survived long enough to understand the damage. Many don’t. The rise in teen vaping over the last decade has created a new category of patients: adolescents with serious lung injuries, chemical dependence, and long-term health risks. And most of them never saw it coming.

Parents need to stop treating vaping like a lesser evil. It’s not a mild habit. It’s a high-dose nicotine delivery system wrapped in fruit flavors and targeted marketing. Most disposable vapes contain levels of nicotine that rival or exceed an entire pack of cigarettes. And because they’re discreet and easy to hide, teens can use them all day without setting off alarms—literally or figuratively.

If your child is vaping, don’t assume it’s just a phase. Start by asking clear, direct questions. Look for signs: persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, irritability when they go without it. Know what the devices look like. Many resemble USB sticks, pens, or cosmetic products. They’re designed that way on purpose.

For teens, the belief that you can quit anytime is one of the first signs you’re already addicted. Nicotine changes how your brain works. It doesn’t feel like a drug. It feels like a routine—until you try to stop. The earlier you quit, the more likely your lungs and brain are to recover. But the longer you wait, the more risk you carry.

For adults who vape as a smoking alternative, recognize that these devices were never meant for lifelong use. If you’re using them to quit smoking, have a plan to taper off and stop completely. Don’t assume you’re out of danger just because you’ve swapped tobacco for vapor. The chemical load is different, not harmless.

And for everyone: understand that once vaping starts to damage your lungs, the warning signs may come late. Clean X-rays don’t mean undamaged lungs. Jayden’s X-rays were clear. His lungs were not.

The safest path is prevention. The next best is early intervention. And if you’re already struggling to quit, don’t rely on willpower alone. Behavioral support, nicotine replacement therapy, structured quit plans—they all make a difference. This is a medical issue, not just a lifestyle choice.

Jayden didn’t think it would happen to him. Most teens don’t. That’s the point. Vaping feels safe right up until it’s not. The question isn’t whether it’s dangerous—it’s whether you’ll realize it in time.

My Personal RX on Protecting Your Lungs and Respiratory Health

As a physician, I’ve watched the rise of vaping with increasing concern. Marketed as a “safer” alternative to smoking, vaping may seem harmless, especially to teens and young adults. But the truth is, inhaling heated chemicals, flavorings, and ultrafine particles can trigger inflammation deep in the lungs and contribute to serious long-term respiratory issues, including chronic bronchitis, asthma flare-ups, and conditions like “popcorn lung.” The scary part? Many symptoms appear slowly and quietly. Fortunately, your lungs are incredibly adaptive when given the right support. By focusing on detoxification, gut-lung health, and anti-inflammatory nutrition, we can help the body defend itself—and even begin to heal.

1. Repair the Gut-Lung Axis with Daily Support: Vaping increases oxidative stress and inflammation that can disrupt both the lungs and gut. MindBiotic combines probiotics, prebiotics, and Ashwagandha to help regulate immune response, reduce inflammation, and support the body’s natural repair pathways.
   
2. Eat to Support Respiratory Detox: The Mindful Meals cookbook includes over 100 recipes rich in antioxidants, cruciferous veggies, and herbs like garlic and turmeric—foods that promote lung health and support detoxification from inhaled chemicals.
   
3. Avoid Flavored Vape Products Completely: Many contain diacetyl and other chemicals linked to severe lung damage. Flavorings are one of the biggest hidden dangers in vaping.
   
4. Hydrate to Help Your Lungs Clear Toxins: Drinking enough water keeps mucous membranes moist and supports your lungs in flushing out particles and irritants more effectively.
   
5. Practice Deep Breathing Exercises: Breathing techniques like box breathing or pursed-lip breathing improve lung capacity, oxygen flow, and reduce stress, making it easier to recover from vape-related strain.
   
6. Incorporate Anti-Inflammatory Herbs: Ginger, licorice root, and oregano have natural properties that may soothe inflamed airways. Use them in teas, meals, or as supplements with guidance from a healthcare provider.
   
7. Get Moving, Especially Outdoors: Aerobic activity enhances lung function and boosts circulation. Choose clean-air environments, and avoid strenuous exercise near pollution or smoke.
   
8. Watch for Subtle Respiratory Symptoms: Chronic cough, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, or wheezing—even if occasional—should be taken seriously and evaluated.
   
9. Clean Your Indoor Air: Use HEPA filters, eliminate synthetic air fresheners, and ventilate your home to reduce indoor exposure to irritants that further strain the lungs.
   
10. Talk Openly About the Risks: Whether you’re a parent, teen, or adult, understanding the science behind vaping’s impact on the lungs helps support better choices and long-term respiratory health.

Sources:

1. Shaw, N. (2025, February 11). “I started coughing up blood and doctors said it was down to vaping.” Wales Online. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/i-started-coughing-up-blood-30980988 
2. American Lung Association. (n.d.). E-cigarette or vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/evali 
3. Chaiton, M., Pienkowski, M., Musani, I., Bondy, S., Cohen, J., Dubray, J., Eissenberg, T., Kaufman, P., Stanbrook, M., & Schwartz, R. (2023). Smoking, e-cigarettes and the effect on respiratory symptoms among a population sample of youth: Retrospective cohort study. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 21(January), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/156839 
4. American Lung Association. (n.d.-b). Popcorn lung: A dangerous risk of flavored E-Cigarettes. https://www.lung.org/blog/popcorn-lung-risk-ecigs 

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