Horrifying X-rays show lungs of sporty teen, 19, clogged with oil after vaping – Mirror Online, Mirror

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Horrifying X-rays show the oil-filled lungs of a teenager who was left fighting for his life due to vaping.

Anthony Mayo, , of Erie, Pennsylvania, fell seriously ill last week, struggling to breathe, looking pale and feeling sick

Doctors found his lungs had become severely congested with solidified oil.

Medics told his parents the oil resembled cooking grease that hardens after it has been left to cool and are likely to be scarred for life.

His father, Keith Mayo, said he was told his son had been warned he has “the lungs of a 60 -year-old, two-pack-a-day, smoker “which doctors blamed on vaping.

He said: “His whole spin on it was it was cool and not that bad for you. I was just as guilty. I went along with it. I never got into it, but I didn’t also prevent it either.

“He is going to have some scarring. Whether it’s profound, we don’t know yet. “

The number of people made ill by vaping has risen to over 500, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with some having oil-filled lungs.

There have seven vaping-related deaths in the US this year in California, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota and Oregon.

Many of those who died suffered from underlying health probelms.

Investigators have said they are trying to understand what causes the illnesses.

In the UK, Public Health England (PHE) stands by its claim that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking.

But PHE has come under fire from some academics who say the organization is wilfully ignoring mounting evidence that vaping is harmful.

Martin Dockrell, tobacco control lead at PHE, said: “A full investigation is not yet available but indications are that the US cases have been linked to people using illicit vaping fluid bought on the streets or home-made, some containing cannabis products like THC oil or synthetic cannabinoids like spice, and others Vitamin E acetate oil.

” This is not the same as using UK regulated nicotine products. Unlike the US, all nicotine-containing e-cigarette products in the UK are tightly regulated for quality and safety by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and they operate the Yellow Card Scheme, encouraging vapers to report any adverse effects.

“Public Health England’s advice remains that vaping carries a small fraction of the risk of smoking.

” Using a nicotine-containing e-cigarette makes it much more likely someone will quit successfully than relying on willpower alone – three studies this year have found them twice as effective as nicotine replacement therapy alone.

“But it’s important to use UK-regulated e-liquids and never risk vaping home-made or illicit e-liquids or adding substances.”