By now, most folks know that vaping isn’t good for you — and despite how many warnings put out by news outlets, teens still tend to believe they are invincible. They may think that vaping — whether it’s a Juul, e-cigarette or another device — isn’t as harmful as cigarettes or since it’s legal, it’s perfectly safe. But that just isn’t true.
One teen named Chance Ammirata can attest to that — although his perspective didn’t start out where it is today.
Chance first began vaping when he was only 16-years-old. He did it for the same reasons most kids his age does — it relaxed him, and it felt cool since everyone seemed to be doing it. Also, it became addicting. Just recently, at 18-years-old, did he finally understand the consequences of his actions.
It started when he noticed that he had a persistent pain in his chest that made it really difficult to sleep on his left side. At first, like many young people his age, he ignored the pain until it continued to get worse and worse. He finally arrived at his breaking point when he was out bowling one night with a friend.
“I remember she made me laugh and it felt like my chest was collapsing, like I was having a heart attack,” Chance said.
Thankfully, he was able to be rushed to a local hospital where surgeons were able to begin to operate on him immediately. It became clear that Chance was in good shape.
“Seven surgeons came in, and it’s scary when you see seven surgeons come in, you think they’re going to tell you you have like five days to live,” Chance said.
He’s fortunate that wasn’t the case, even though what took place next was still pretty scary. The surgeons were shocked to find several black dots as well as a hole in his lung.
“When they did the actual major surgery to re-inflate my lungs, the surgeon said, ‘whatever you’ve been smoking has been leaving these black dots on your lungs,’” Chance said.
Chance swears that he never smoked a cigarette — which means that the cause of his condition had to be his beloved Juul. He had no clue that this habit was causing so much harm to his heath. But it was. And, it turns out, that the hospital visit wasn’t even the wost of it; doctors also told him that he would never be able to run cross country.
“[The doctor] said running occasionally is okay after a month or two of healing, but constant running is just not going to be on my agenda, and that really sucks, because I’m 18, and that really sucks to have that happen so young,” he said.
Taking a stand against vaping
Chance decided to take his story to Instagram, where he could educate other teens who vape about the hidden dangers of doing so. Since then, a good number of his followers have told him that they’ve quit vaping.
“Makes you realize enough is enough and that nicotine is rotting our brains and destroying our bodies. It overcame me with emotions,” Chance wrote on his recent post. “I’ve never been happier to make such a difference.”
The Surgeon General has always warned against using products containing nicotine, especially for teens whose brains are still developing and forming. The US food and Drug Administration (FDA) also warn that vaping products contain many cancer-causing chemicals.
You can hear more teens like Chance testify before Congress about Juul, vaping, and the health implications this practics poses on teens in the video below. And please be sure to share this story with a loved one, it could save their life.