A British teenager nearly died after vaping caused a catastrophic immune reaction in his lungs, doctors in Nottingham have reported. Ewan Fisher, now 19, was connected to an artificial lung machine to keep him alive after his own lungs failed.
Ewan started vaping in early 2017 at age 16 to quit smoking for boxing, despite being underage. By May 2017, he struggled to breathe and was rushed to hospital, where he was placed on life support. His condition worsened, requiring transfer to Leicester for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which oxygenated his blood outside his body.
Doctors diagnosed hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an immune reaction triggered by one of the e-cigarette liquids he used. Consultant Dr Jayesh Bhatt said: 'The real learning point is vaping is not safe, especially for young people.' Ewan warned others: 'Vaping has basically ruined me... I don't want you to end up like me.'
While UK health bodies maintain vaping is 95% safer than tobacco, Dr Bhatt cautioned against complacency. The case, published in Archives of Disease in Childhood, highlights rare but severe risks. Dr Hemant Kulkarni from Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust noted similar life-threatening cases are emerging as vaping becomes more common.
