A 25-year-old mother from Florida says she was left stunned after doctors revealed the true damage vaping had done to her lungs — injuries resembling the severe condition commonly known as “popcorn lung.”
Cloey Eyes, a mom of five, made the switch from cigarettes to disposable vapes in August 2023 after three years of smoking, believing it would be a cleaner alternative. But less than two years later, on July 12 this year, she was rushed to the hospital with sharp chest pains that she feared were signs of a heart attack.
“I woke up at 2:30 in the morning with stabbing pain in my chest. I couldn’t catch my breath and I had to hit myself in the chest multiple times just to be able to breathe,” Cloey recalled. “It felt like I was slowly suffocating.”
Hospital scans revealed something far more alarming than a heart attack — Cloey had developed lung injuries consistent with “popcorn lung” as well as an “oil pocket” coating her left lung. Doctors explained that the oily buildup was caused by vaping, which had left a thick residue inside her lungs.
“ Around both my lungs was oil. It was scary to hear this. It’s the oil from the vape and this is thickening up as you hit it and attaching itself to your lungs. I technically at that point had popcorn lung. That’s what they call it here,” she said.
Doctors prescribed her antibiotics, a cough suppressant, and an inhaler, warning that her recovery could take at least a year. Cloey has since quit vaping cold turkey.
“I would smoke the vape every day non-stop. I used it more than cigarettes because it was so handy and always right there,” she admitted. “I would never pick up a vape again, especially because I’m a mum. I feel ten times better now that I’ve stopped completely. My lungs feel better and I don’t feel out of breath all the time.”
Medical experts have long warned about the hidden dangers of vaping, linking it to conditions like lipoid pneumonia — where inhaled oils gather in the lungs, causing inflammation and long-term damage. Some countries, including the UK, have already banned disposable vapes over growing health concerns.
Now, Cloey is speaking out to urge others, especially parents, to quit before it’s too late.
“Even if you don’t go through the pain, the amount of chemicals going through your lungs is probably knocking about 10 years off your life,” she said. “I turned 25 last Saturday, and to think I could have lost my life from vaping is just not worth it.”
