Is vaping illness a myth?
Alex Mitchell, 20, bought a new brand of peach and menthol flavoured vape juice and used it in his e-cigarette. The next day he felt sick. Everyone thought it was flu or pneumonia. But in a matter of days, Alex’s condition grew dire, and he had to be put on life support. Doctors even considered a lung transplant.
Alex Mitchell had a severe case of EVALI, short for e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury. The illness was first reported in the US in 2019. Cases of lung ailments have been on the rise in recent years, as e-cigarettes and vaping devices explode in popularity, especially among teens and young adults. An estimated 55 million people vape globally. As of 2020, nearly 3,000 EVALI cases were reported in the US, and 68 were fatal.
Vaping proponents say it’s a safe alternative to conventional cigarettes. Vaping devices often look sleek and attractive. The wide variety of flavours is also tempting. Sergey from Russia has gained a massive social media following performing vape tricks. He claims he has been vaping since he was 13 years old and hasn’t experienced any health problems.
It’s been two years since vaping almost killed Alex. He’s still recovering and wants to share his story to warn people about the dangers of vaping.