Jacob Temple, a 24-year-old painter from Kentucky, is sounding the alarm about the dangers of vaping after suffering a mini heart attack and permanent lung damage. Doctors told him his lungs now resemble those of a 70-year-old due to the lasting scars caused by years of vaping.
Temple began using e-cigarettes at just 12 years old, believing they were safer than traditional smoking. However, his long-term vaping habit resulted in serious health consequences. In a TikTok video viewed nearly 4 million times, he shared that he constantly feels like he’s “breathing through a straw” and warned others to quit before it’s too late.
“I now have the lungs of a 70-year-old man,” Temple said. “The small airways at the bottom of my lungs are scarred permanently. I can never fully inflate or deflate my lungs again. It feels like I’m always struggling to get enough air, and there’s nothing that can be done.”
Temple’s story highlights growing concerns about the youth vaping epidemic. Health experts and parents are alarmed by the sharp increase in e-cigarette use among teens. In the UK, over a third of 16- to 18-year-olds regularly vape, a rise linked to declining traditional cigarette smoking.
In response, new laws have come into effect, banning the sale of single-use vapes like Elf Bars and Lost Mary devices. Only reusable vapes with rechargeable batteries and replaceable parts are now permitted, aiming to reduce youth access.
Unlike traditional smoking, vaping delivers nicotine through vapor instead of burning tobacco, which avoids harmful smoke and carbon monoxide. This has led some health officials to suggest vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes. However, the long-term health effects of vaping remain unclear.
Medical professionals warn that vaping can cause lung inflammation and damage after just a month of use. According to the American Lung Association, nanoparticles from vapor can embed into lung tissue, potentially leading to chronic lung disease, dental problems, and even cancer in the future.
Dr. Cecile Rose, a lung specialist in the US, said, “Chronic vaping of these chemicals could lead to serious lung health issues over time. Doctors need to take vaping history as seriously as they do smoking history.”
Symptoms of vaping-related lung injury include coughing, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Temple initially ignored his persistent cough but sought help when severe abdominal pain and difficulty breathing worsened. He described waking up sweating and struggling to breathe, sometimes requiring a nebulizer to avoid life-threatening situations.
Medical tests showed Temple’s blood oxygen level had dropped dangerously low, and he suffered a mini heart attack at an age when such events are rare. Research earlier this year linked the high nicotine levels in vapes to increased heart rate and blood pressure, which can damage arteries and raise cardiovascular risks similarly to smoking.
Temple’s experience serves as a stark warning. “If you’re still vaping, stop now,” he urged. “It almost took my life, and the damage is permanent.”
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