A young man, Raymond Dehn, shared his harrowing experience of collapsing in a shopping center due to a collapsed lung, attributing the incident to his nearly decade-long habit of vaping. Raymond, a 24-year-old salesman from Buffalo, New York, had been vaping since he was 15 after obtaining vaping devices without age verification. The alarming incident occurred when he was out with his girlfriend on September 13, experiencing excruciating pain between his shoulder blades that led to him passing out.
Rushed to the hospital by ambulance, doctors diagnosed Raymond with a spontaneous pneumothorax, a sudden collapse of the lung, a condition they are increasingly observing in young individuals who vape. Raymond, reflecting on the ordeal, expressed his terror and extreme pain during the episode, emphasizing that being a healthy young person, he never anticipated such a medical emergency linked to vaping.
Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Raymond decided to quit vaping entirely, urging other young people to follow suit. He recounted how vaping had replaced occasional smoking during his teenage years, facilitated by easy access to vape products without age restrictions. Over time, his vaping habit evolved to include THC pens, which he used shortly before the lung collapse incident.
Following a four-night hospital stay where a tube was inserted to reinflate his lung gradually, Raymond faced physical weakness and ongoing mental distress. The experience has left him anxious about a potential recurrence and has prompted him to advocate for awareness among young individuals. Raymond has since transitioned to using ZYN nicotine pouches and edibles for THC consumption, emphasizing the importance of taking his health seriously following the life-threatening event.