A dad has called for vaping to be banned after both of his daughters were hospitalised with holes in their lungs after using e-cigs just weeks apart.
Tazmin Blight, who has used e-cigs since she was just 13, says she continued to vape the equivalent of 50 cigarettes a day despite her sister Kyla hitting headlines last month for being hospitalised due to them.
Tazmin discovered her lung had collapsed on Saturday, June 29 just weeks after Kyla had emergency surgery when vaping burst a hole in her lung too.
After experiencing 'tightness' in her chest and pain in her back and shoulders, 19-year-old Tazmin assumed she had trapped wind but her dad, Mark Blight, took her to the hospital in light of Kyla's experience.
#vaping poses serious #health risks. e-cigarettes can harm brain development, nicotine addiction from vaping increases risk of addiction to other substances.
— Irene Wise (@irenejuliawise) July 15, 2024
Non-nicotine vapes also contain harmful substances.
Petition to ban vaping.https://t.co/oAaxM1hHJL
The pair were 'shocked' when doctors informed Tazmin her lung had collapsed, just as Kyla's had done weeks prior, and is currently waiting to hear if she needs surgery.
Kyla, 17, was hospitalised on May 11 after vaping similarly burst a hole in her lung and has since had emergency surgery.
Tazmin admitted she used to carry her e-cigarette with her 'at all times' and began vaping at just 13 years old.
Despite seeing firsthand the dangers of e-cigs from her sister, Tazmin continued vaping and 'never believed' the same would happen to her, but now vows to stop.
The admin worker gets through up to 600 daily puffs, which is the equivalent of nearly 50 cigarettes a day.
After Kyla's ordeal, the dad wasted no time in taking his daughter to the hospital and an X-ray revealed a burst pulmonary bleb caused Tazmin's lung to collapse.
Mark, who lives in Egremont, Cumbria, said: "It's been an absolute nightmare. The coincidence is just unbelievable.
"It knocked me right back to where I was a few weeks ago with Kyla. It's just horrible. I'm still in shock about it.
"The doctors took us straight in because of what happened to Kyla. They told her she had pneumothorax. It's when little tiny holes appear on your lung and they burst.
"Kyla's was a great big one and hers is a tiny one. We wanted to catch it early. The doctors said vapes are definitely what caused it."
The Tobacco & Vaping Bill was an example of decent, honourable, caring politics.
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) June 29, 2024
That Sunak dumped it after cajoling, lobbying & threats from the tobacco industry - whose profits are blood money - says everything about our current rotten politics.https://t.co/Wa3IXVtzNR pic.twitter.com/Md7R6zVJE7
The carer revealed his daughter has been put on a clinical trial by Carlisle Hospital's respiratory team and after a CT scan on Friday, July 5 revealed her lung inflation had decreased, the pair are hoping surgery to drain it won't be necessary.
Mark said: "She may not need surgery if her lung can stand up on its own. She's just been lying in her room. She's not done much for a while, she's been off work for a couple of weeks now.
"Vaping has really frightened Tazmin now and she's done really well not vaping."
Tazmin, who works in admin, said: "I never thought it would happen to me. I was definitely shocked. I had in my head it would just be trapped wind or something.
"You never expect it to happen to you and it only just happened to Kyla so I just didn't expect it to be a collapsed lung.
"The pain started on Friday. I got in from work and I had loads of tightness in my chest and pain in my back and shoulders.
"I thought I'd try and sleep it off but when I woke up it was still there. It was only on one side. When I got out of bed it was so much pain.
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"I thought I should get it checked out after what just happened to Kyla. She was a lot worse than me.
"I just can't wait for it to be sorted so I can breathe properly and not have this pain in my chest anymore."
The teenager revealed she recently switched her disposable vapes for a refillable one, replacing the liquid up to four times a day, but now plans to stop.
Tazmin said: "I had it with me at all times. I don't think I know anyone that doesn't vape.
"I was on disposables until about two or three months ago. I switched to the refillable ones.
"When I was at work I couldn't use it as much. But when I wasn't at work I would refill it about three or four times a day.
"I'm trying to stop now. I thought it was a one-time thing that happened to Kyla but now it's happened to me as well.
"It's now shown me the long-term effects of these disposable or refillable vapes. It can happen to people at any time."
Is smoking going to be banned in the UK?
"I would like to see them completely banned"
The dad, who recently appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain to discuss Kyla's experience, revealed he is more determined than ever to spread awareness about the dangers of vaping and ensure e-cigarettes are 'completely banned'.
Mark said: "I would like to see them completely banned. These vapes are marketed for kids.
"You can see they are, just the way they taste and smell. I passed a candy-floss-flavoured one the other day. It's not advertised for me. It's aimed at kids.
"We know what vapes are doing to people but there's just no proof. Until then, people are still going to be going out and buying these throw-away things.
"I'm really pleased with what I'm doing getting this out in the open. I've had people stop me in the street and say 'my daughter's stopped vaping now because of you'."
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