A teenager from Wolverhampton who began vaping at the age of 13 to fit in with his friends has issued a stark warning after his lung collapsed. Nathan Edmunds, now 19, said he thought vaping was 'cool' when he first tried it, but soon became addicted, using it constantly throughout the day.
From Peer Pressure to Addiction
Nathan recalled that he started using disposable vapes before switching to refillable pens as he grew older. His habit escalated to the point where he would vape every five minutes, and the device was rarely out of his hand or pocket. 'The only time I really stopped using it was sleeping,' he said. 'Just before I'd go to sleep I'd have my last drag, put it on my windowsill. When I'd wake up, I'd pick it back up and then I'd just carry on using it.' His favourite flavours included strawberry kiwi and lemon and lime.
The Collapsed Lung
On December 19, 2025, Nathan was woken up by severe chest pain at around 6am. He was rushed to hospital by ambulance, where doctors diagnosed a collapsed right lung. They reportedly told him the condition was caused by his heavy vaping. 'The vape coats your lungs in oils,' Nathan explained. 'It was a bit of a relief because the first thing that was going through my head was lung cancer.' He spent four days in hospital with a chest drain fitted to reinflate his lung and was fortunate to avoid surgery as the hole healed quickly.
Quitting and Warning Others
Upon learning the cause, Nathan immediately threw away his vape. 'I stopped vaping completely after this happened,' he said. 'I chucked it in the bin there and then.' Now, nearly two months later, he is urging other teenagers to quit before they suffer a similar fate. 'Pack it in before it's too late. I said the same that it wouldn't happen to me, but it will. Replace it with something - for me if I ever do get a craving, I'll have a sweet. Chuck it in the bin while you can. It's not worth it, just to have a bit of a fruity flavour in your mouth or have a nicotine rush.'
