Teen Who Started Vaping at 12 Given Terrifying Diagnosis After Coughing Up Blood, Warns Others of this Dangers

A teenager was left traumatized after being told he was coughing up large amounts of blood because of a stomach ulcer, likely caused by eating too many kebabs. However, it turned out the real cause was severe lung damage from vaping too much.

Jayden Richardson, now 17, started using e-cigarettes at the age of 12 to fit in with others. He was vaping the equivalent of about 50 cigarettes a day. During a family holiday in Turkey in August 2024, he was terrified when he started coughing up blood on the last day of the trip.

The next day, he flew home and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors initially thought he had a stomach ulcer. His mum, Elita Richardson, admitted she thought it might be linked to the drinks, greasy food, and kebabs he had been eating every night on holiday.

But the family was shocked when an endoscopy revealed Jayden had severe lung damage caused by his vaping habit. Despite being determined to quit, Jayden used a vape again months later while celebrating his birthday on January 10. He started coughing up blood once more.

This happened just days before Hollyoaks actor Paul Danan tragically died after being hospitalized for excessive vaping. Elita shared a post on Facebook warning others about the dangers of vaping, saying, “You never think it’s going to happen to you.”

Jayden is now waiting for a CT scan and supports the ban on disposable vapes set to start in June 2025. He vows to never use a vape again. Jayden, from Shifnal, Shropshire, said, “I was terrified. I never thought vaping could cause all this.”

He explained that it started in Turkey. The night before, he had some chest pain but didn’t think much of it. The next morning, he used his vape and started coughing. When he spat out what he thought was phlegm, he saw it was blood and was shocked. He called his mum, who told him she’d come if it got worse.

A few hours later, after having some drinks and getting into the pool, Jayden started coughing up large amounts of blood. He was pulled out of the pool by his mum’s friend and taken to the toilet, where he continued coughing up blood for about 10 minutes. He described it as traumatic.

Jayden flew home the next day, but his dad rushed him to the hospital when he started coughing up more blood at Birmingham Airport. Doctors initially thought it was a stomach ulcer, but a week later, an endoscopy showed severe lung damage caused by vaping.

Elita said, “The consultant said he’d never seen so much lung damage in someone so young. It was a shock.” She added that she was grateful they found out when they did, as it could have been worse if it had gone on longer.

Jayden was given medication and stopped vaping, which stopped the bleeding. But months later, during his birthday weekend, he used a vape again, thinking the damage was already done. He started coughing up blood once more and is now waiting for a CT scan.

Jayden admitted he used to go through a 10ml bottle of vape juice every two to three days, equal to about 50 cigarettes a day. He said he started vaping because everyone around him was doing it, and it felt normal. He now realizes how dangerous vaping is and wishes he had never started.

He warned, “You don’t know what’s in those disposable vapes. They’re dangerous, and no one should touch them. If I could go back, I’d tell myself never to touch one. It’s crazy how dangerous they are and what they can do to your body. You don’t realize it at first, but it affects you in the long run. I would never touch one again.”