16-Year-Old With Permanent Lung Damage Warns Others About Vaping

A 16-year-old is opening about his harrowing experiencing with vaping. He is now warning others of the dangerous risks.

The Wisconsin teen, Logan Krahn, says he developed chemical pneumonitis from vaping with an electronic cigarette made by Juul, landing in the intensive care unit at the American Family Children’s Hospital.

“I thought that Juul was safer than smoking regular cigarettes, I was wrong," Krahn told WISC-TV. “Two weeks ago I was admitted to my local hospital where doctors first thought it was a severe case of dehydration but then realized it was pneumonia. It turned out to be far worse than that.”

When he arrived at the hospital, he was having trouble breathing on his own because his lungs kept fulling up with fluid.

Krahn now has permanent lung damage and he’s lucky to be alive. Krahn said while quitting smoking may sound difficult, going through this experience was far worse for him.

More than a quarter of youths are actively vaping, Dr. Vivek Balasubramaniam, a pediatric pulmonologist at the hospital, said.

“If you do not smoke or vape now please do not start. But if you do, I urge you to stop and get some help,” Krahn said.

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