“Teen Cheerleader’s Hidden Vaping Habit Causes Serious Lung Illness”
A 17-year-old cheerleader named Brianne Cullen found herself hospitalized with a permanent lung condition due to her secret vaping. Brianne, from Nevada, had been discreetly vaping for three years, leading to a diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as “popcorn lung.” Her mother, Christine Martin, revealed that only this severe health scare compelled Brianne to quit vaping. The teen began vaping at 14 to cope with school-related anxiety after the Covid-19 lockdown. During a cheerleading practice in January, Brianne called her mother in distress, unable to breathe, prompting an urgent trip to the hospital. The diagnosis was grim: Brianne had developed popcorn lung, a chronic condition caused by inhaling harmful substances present in both vape smoke and artificial flavorings. Now relying on an inhaler for her breathing, Brianne’s future health remains uncertain. Her mother, shocked by the diagnosis, urges parents to be vigilant and prevent their children from vaping.
