Seventeen-year-old Brianne Cullen, an active cheerleader from Nevada, was diagnosed with bronchiolitis obliterans, commonly known as “popcorn lung,” after vaping daily for three years. She began vaping at 14 to manage anxiety upon returning to school post-COVID lockdowns. Her mother, Christie Martin, recounted the alarming moment when Brianne struggled to breathe, leading to an emergency room visit where the diagnosis was confirmed. Unlike smoking-related illnesses that develop over the years, popcorn lung causes permanent damage to the lungs’ smallest airways and is irreversible.
