Teen put into induced coma from vaping too much

Yet another young person has been put into an induced coma, after she fell ill from catastrophic lung damage linked to vaping.

Maddie Nelson, 18, from Utah USA has been vaping every day for the last three years, until she started to feel ill earlier this year, complaining of severe back and kidney pain.

The student was rushed to hospital when she started struggling to breathe, however the oxygen that medics gave her failed to work, and after an x-ray showed severe damage to her lungs, medical specialists decided to put her into a medically-induced coma as she fought for her life.

"The situation went from serious to potentially fatal," Maddie's sister, Andrea told Metro.co.uk.

"On August 1, she officially received her diagnosis after two bronchoscopies. Test results showed she has been enduring acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

"Her doctor suspects it's from electronic vaping sources, this includes all supposedly 'safe' alternatives to smoking such as e-cigarettes."

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is a rare disease caused by a build-up of white blood cells in the lungs in response to inflammation.

Placed on steroids, Maddie was taken out of the coma three days later and can now breathe on her own – although, uses oxygen at night for tightness in her chest.

Sharing photos of herself in hospital, Maddie warned others of the dangers of vaping, urging them to quit.

"I am sharing my story so you all are aware that there is something crazy in these pens that is not safe and almost cost me my life," She wrote.

"I used to just tell myself it won't happen to me, but it can and will happen to you too…take my advice, don't smoke, don't vape. #vape #stopthevape."

Maddie's story emerges a week after another young person died from vaping, despite it being marketed as the 'safe way to smoke'.

Maddie's sister Andrea, said in a crowdfunding site that it is unfair for young people to "be the guinea pigs of the popularising of 'vape life'" adding that only a few years in to the fad and we are seeing some "pretty scary side effects."

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that in the US nearly 200 people have contracted severe respiratory illnesses after vaping.

With doctors recording that all the illnesses resembled an inhalation injury with the lungs reacting to caustic substances.

"Vaping exposes users to many different substances for which we have little information about related harms – including flavourings, nicotine, cannabinoids and solvents," says CDC director Robert Redfield.

Vaping is massive in the UK and its popularity isn't helped by the fact that it is endorsed by Public Health England, as a highly effective tool to stop smoking.

However, Doctor Aaron Scott from the University of Birmingham has said that vaporised e-liquid fluid has a similar effect on the lungs and body as regular smoke.

"We only have evidence for short-term and in the short-term it's definitely harmful. I think we should be more cautious," said Dr Scott.

"The potential for lung disease down the line is still there and we need to recognise that rather than bury our heads in the sand by only focusing on the benefits and the way it helps people give up smoking."