Florida Mom Diagnosed with “Popcorn Lung” After Vaping, Warns Others

Cloey Eyes, a 25-year-old mom from Florida, thought she was experiencing a heart attack when she woke up one morning with intense chest pain

Gasping for breath, she struck herself to stay conscious and alert. The sensation of suffocation alarmed her so severely that she called 911, fearing the worst.

Diagnosis Reveals “Oil” in the Lungs Due to Vaping

At the hospital, scans revealed something startling: pockets of oil in her lungs. Doctors identified signs consistent with “popcorn lung”—a rare, serious lung condition linked to chemical inhalation. The oily substance, they explained, was caused by inhaled vaping aerosols, which had accumulated in her airways and inflamed her lungs.

Vaping Turned from “Healthier” Choice to Health Crisis

Twenty-three months prior, Cloey had switched from smoking traditional cigarettes to vaping—viewing it as a cleaner option because, she said, she “hated the smell” of smoke. She used a disposable device that offered up to 5,000 puffs and admitted she vaped almost constantly, drawn in by the convenience.

But that convenience came at a cost. Within two years, the unseen damage became visible. Prescription inhalers, antibiotics, and a cough suppressant helped manage symptoms, but recovery was expected to take up to a year.

From Personal Nightmare to Public Warning

Now vape-free, Cloey has turned her scary experience into a public warning—especially for parents. “Even if it doesn’t happen to you,” she said, “the amount of chemicals going into your lungs can knock about ten years off your life.” Preaching from personal trauma, she warns others that vaping isn’t just harmless vapor—it’s potentially serious lung damage in progress.

Understanding Popcorn Lung and Vaping Risks

“Popcorn lung,” or bronchiolitis obliterans, damages airways via scarring, limiting breathing ability. It’s often linked to inhaling diacetyl, a buttery-flavored chemical formerly used in e-liquids. Vaping also poses other threats: oils from vapors can cause lipoid pneumonia, an inflammatory reaction in the lungs that mimics infectious disease but isn’t viral.

Studies show the illness EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury) often involves exposure to vitamin E acetate or other toxic vaping ingredients. Such conditions may begin with minor irritation but can quickly escalate into life-threatening respiratory failure.

A Plea for Awareness and Change

Cloey emphasizes that though vaping lacks tar, it doesn’t lack danger. Chemicals in aerosol form can cling to lung tissue, thickening and blocking air passages over time. She warns there’s nothing safe about it—even to someone using it for quitting smoking.

Her message is simple and urgent: if you’re a parent—or just thinking about starting—vaping is not worth it. She’s living proof that the risks aren’t just hypothetical—they can be deeply painful, life-altering, and entirely unexpected.

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