A 22-year-old man from North Dakota, Jackson Allard, faced a harrowing battle for survival after being hospitalized due to severe health issues linked to years of heavy vaping. Allard, who complained of stomach aches, was initially diagnosed with Influenza 4 and double pneumonia, leading to critically low oxygen levels. His condition rapidly deteriorated, prompting a transfer to the University of Minnesota, where doctors gave him a mere 1% chance of survival.
Allard’s grandmother, Doreen Hurlburt, recounted the dire situation, revealing that doctors had to resort to putting him on life support to alleviate his suffering. The young man’s health crisis was attributed to his extensive history of vaping, a habit that escalated to the point where his heart stopped beating during his three-month hospital stay.
Hurlburt emphasized the family’s repeated warnings to Allard about the dangers of vaping, urging him to quit the habit. Despite being described as friendly and outgoing, Allard defended his vaping habit, claiming it was “better than cigarettes.” However, his grandmother countered this argument by highlighting the permanent lung damage associated with vaping, contrasting it with the long-term risks of smoking.
The family’s struggle with Allard’s health crisis brings attention to the ongoing debate about the safety of electronic cigarettes compared to traditional ones. While some experts and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration consider e-cigarettes less harmful, there is a call for a surgeon general’s report to provide clarity on the health risks associated with vaping.
Despite the successful double lung transplant that saved Allard’s life on January 1, his future is marked by significant changes. The former heavy vaper now faces a lifetime of abstaining from smoking and drinking, with the realization that another transplant may be necessary later in life.
This heartbreaking scenario echoes a similar incident in Missouri, where a man needed a double lung transplant after a decade of heavy vaping. In that case, doctors used breast implants to save the individual, highlighting the extreme measures required to address the consequences of prolonged vaping.
As the dangers of vaping become increasingly evident, these stories serve as cautionary tales, emphasizing the potentially life-altering consequences associated with the popular modern smoking trend.
Source: NY Post
