For years, e-cigarettes were marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. Advertisements emphasized better flavors and a “smoke-free” experience. However, now that e-cigarettes have been on the market for 20+ years, growing evidence suggests that vaping can cause serious, chronic lung problems in addition to acute injuries.
In 2019, EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury) made headlines after a sudden spike in severe lung injuries was linked to vaping. It was a wake-up call about the risks of e-cigarettes, but it wasn’t the whole picture.
Researchers are learning that long-term vaping can severely damage the lungs, including the smallest airways where oxygen exchange occurs. For some people, these injuries can be progressive, life-altering, and long-lasting.
Unlike acute EVALI, chronic vaping-related lung problems may be easy to miss at first:
- It may develop slowly, over months or years
- Symptoms can be subtle at first
- People may not realize vaping is the cause until the damage is advanced
- It may look like asthma, chronic bronchitis, or unexplained shortness of breath
- The injury can be concentrated in the small airways and difficult to detect early
In other words: even if you have avoided EVALI, long-term vaping can still put your lungs at risk.
Vaping and misleading marketing
For years, public health authorities have been warning that e-cigarette marketing (especially marketing that appeals to younger users) has contributed to widespread vape use and nicotine addiction.
When people view e-cigarettes as a low-risk habit, they may be more likely to dismiss early warning signs like chronic cough, shortness of breath, or chest tightness. Users could be developing serious health problems due to vape use but not make the connection.
What makes vapes dangerous?
Emerging medical evidence suggests that repeated e-cigarette use can inflame and injure the lungs over time, potentially leading to chronic conditions such as small airway disease, bronchiolitis, chronic bronchitis, and COPD-like changes in lung function.
Despite how it’s often described, e-cigarette aerosol is not harmless “vapor.” Because many vape products are sold without FDA authorization, it can be difficult to know exactly what you’re inhaling. Studies have found that vape liquids can contain heavy metals (which may affect more than just the lungs over time) and long-term, repeated exposure to the vapor can quietly trigger inflammation and tissue changes that reduce lung function. Some of these changes are progressive and irreversible.
Can vaping cause small airway disease?
Emerging medical evidence suggests that long-term vaping may contribute to chronic injury in the small airways of the lungs, sometimes described as small airway disease or bronchiolitis. These small air passages (called bronchioles) help move air into the deeper parts of the lungs. When they become inflamed or scarred, a person may experience:
- Shortness of breath or asthma-like symptoms that don’t improve an inhaler
- Chest tightness
- Persistent coughing
- Wheezing
- Reduced stamina/exercise tolerance
In a Massachusetts General Hospital study of chronic e-cigarette use, researchers observed scarring in lung and airway tissue. While some individuals improved after quitting, others showed damage that appeared permanent.
Can vaping cause chronic bronchitis and COPD?
Researchers are still learning about the long-term health effects of vaping, but a growing body of evidence links e-cigarette use to chronic respiratory disease, including chronic bronchitis and COPD.
COPD is a group of progressive lung conditions that reduce airflow and make breathing increasingly difficult. For people who vape for years, the odds of long-term breathing problems appear to increase. In other words, vaping is not just linked to short-term irritation. Continued use may contribute to long-term lung disease that can worsen over time.
What’s next?
It’s becoming clear that despite marketing claims, long-term vaping is not risk-free, and it may cause chronic lung damage that can negatively impact a person’s life.
If vaping contributed to your lung disease, your story deserves attention. No one should be harmed by a product marketed as “safe” while companies profit from addiction.
How can a law firm help?
At Schlesinger Law Offices, we are focused on holding major corporations accountable when companies use manipulative marketing tactics that injure their customers.
Our firm has a long history of taking on Big Tobacco and has been involved in complex national litigation against major tobacco and nicotine companies. We participated in a nationwide legal effort addressing allegations that JUUL’s marketing practices fueled nicotine addiction, especially among young people.
If you or a loved one developed a chronic lung condition after long-term vaping, we can help you evaluate whether you have a claim. These cases often depend on medical documentation, duration and type of product use, and expert review of your diagnosis and testing. Our office has the resources and expertise to build a strong case for you.
Request a case review to determine:
- Whether your diagnosis fits patterns seen in long-term vaping injury
- What medical records and testing are needed
- Whether your history supports a potential claim
- What legal pathways may be available
Contact Schlesinger Law Offices now to start your free case review.
Please note: we operate on a contingency basis, meaning that you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. This way you can focus on recovery, not legal fees.