Jayden Richardson started vaping when he was just 12 years old, wanting to “fit in” with his peers. By the time he turned 17, he was consuming the equivalent of 50 cigarettes a day, unaware of the severe damage it was doing to his body. The consequences caught up with him last August while on a family holiday in Turkey, when he suddenly began coughing up blood.
At first, it didn’t seem serious—just small traces of blood in his cough. But after a few drinks and a swim, things took a terrifying turn. Jayden found himself coughing up what he described as “pint-loads” of blood and was rushed to a hospital upon returning to the UK. Doctors initially suspected a stomach ulcer, while his mother, Elita, thought his diet of greasy food and late-night kebabs on vacation might be to blame.
X-rays showed nothing abnormal, but a more detailed endoscopy revealed the shocking truth—Jayden had suffered severe lung damage. His mother recalled the consultant’s reaction, saying, “He’s never seen so much lung damage on a kid. It was awful.” Doctors confirmed the damage was caused by excessive vaping, a diagnosis that left Jayden stunned. He was put on medication, and within days of quitting vaping, the bleeding stopped.
Despite this, Jayden admits he made a mistake on his birthday in January, taking a few hits from a vape. Almost immediately, he felt the familiar sensation in his chest and knew blood would follow. “I thought the damage was done and it would just heal itself,” he said. “But I was totally wrong.” Now dealing with ongoing pain and awaiting a CT scan, he has vowed never to vape again.
Looking back, he regrets ever picking up the habit, warning others about the dangers. “It’s crazy how dangerous they are,” he said. “You don’t realize it when you do it, but it just affects you in the long run. I would never touch one.”
