Raymond Dehn, a 24-year-old from Buffalo, began vaping at just 15 years old when local stores sold him disposable vapes without verifying his age. Over time, his vaping habit grew alongside the use of cannabis THC pens. On September 13, 2025, after vaping in his car, Raymond suddenly felt a searing pain between his shoulder blades. Despite trying to bear the pain and walk, it intensified swiftly, causing him to collapse inside a mall.
Paramedics rushed Raymond to hospital, where X-rays revealed a collapsed lung, medically known as spontaneous pneumothorax. Although doctors could not identify the exact cause, they noted seeing three or four other young patients with collapsed lungs who shared vaping as a common factor.
Raymond spent four nights hospitalized with a chest tube inserted to reinflate his lung. Shocked by the severity of his condition as a young and otherwise healthy man, he has since quit vaping entirely. He now urges others to be aware of vaping’s potential dangers, fearing a recurrence of his injury and hoping to raise awareness among youth.
