In one of the worst nightmares a mother could ever imagine, Mary Griffin shares her horror of watching her 12-year-old daughter, Sarah, fight for her life in an induced coma, a devastating consequence of vaping. In the fast-paced modern city of Belfast, Northern Ireland, a simple act of vaping escalated quickly into a life-threatening crisis for Sarah.
That fateful Sunday night, Sarah complained of feeling unwell and began to cough. Since she had a history of asthma, the family attributed it to weather changes, a known trigger for her chronic illness. Despite using her inhaler and nebuliser, Sarah’s condition worsened by Monday morning, and soon, she was gasping for air and pleading for medical attention.
An X-ray examination revealed one of Sarah’s lungs to be grievously damaged, with the other overtaxed due to her asthma flare-up. What was worse, an underlying infection was found. All these factors rapidly deteriorated Sarah’s health, leading to her being rushed to the ICU and placed in an induced coma after multiple attempts of resuscitation.
What landed Sarah in this disagreeable reality was not only her unfortunate condition of asthma but something far more avoidable – vaping. Medical experts explained to Griffin that vaping had significantly weakened Sarah’s lungs, making her less capable of fighting the infection. Had she not been rushed to the hospital when she did, Sarah’s story could have had a much grimmer ending.
Experts like Fidelma Carter, head of public health at NICHS, underline the astonishing misconception that people hold about vaping – that it’s harmless, especially in comparison to cigarettes. In fact, some even wrongly believe it aids in quitting smoking. The truth, however, is that the long-term health implications of vaping are unknown and potentially fatal. Vapes can include harmful chemicals and by design, are meant to introduce vaporised liquid into the user’s lungs, possibly leading to severe health complications.
Griffin, laden with this overwhelming truth, is now an advocate against vaping, particularly among young children. The ordeal has left a lasting mark on her family and Sarah, who now falls under the ‘high-risk patient’ category if ever admitted back to the hospital.
According to healthcare professionals, the addictive nature of the nicotine in vapes can cause intense withdrawal symptoms, making it incredibly difficult for people to quit once they start. Potentially exacerbating existing conditions like asthma, vaping can also multiply the risk of blood clots, especially for women on oral contraceptives.
For her part, Griffin is choosing to share her debilitating experience, not to amplify her sorrow, but in the hope it will safeguard others from a similar occurrence. Her particular concern rests on the rapidly growing population of young vapers, attracted to the colourful and flavoursome nature of vapes. She wants everyone to understand the potential lethal danger associated with vaping, especially for those with pre-existing lung conditions.
This terrible event serves as a sobering reminder of the hidden horrors of what might seem harmless. As patience, vigilance, and a good deal of courage guide Griffin and her family towards a future, it is a tale we should all heed before ignorantly walking into a similar nightmare.
