Shocking photo teen wants vapers to see after she nearly died from using e-cigarettes
A YOUNG woman has shared a heart-wrenching photo of herself in a coma - after her vaping habit nearly killed her.
Simah Herman, 18, was left fighting for her life just two weeks ago after her lungs failed and she could no longer breathe on her own.
And now she is warning others about the dangers of e-cigarettes - in a desperate bid to prevent anyone from suffering the same fate as she did.
Writing in an emotional Instagram post that has now gone viral, Simah said: "Two weeks ago I started having trouble breathing.
"It took 48 hours for my lungs to fail which led to me being put on a ventilator.
"This is all because of vaping. Vaping is advertised as 'a healthier alternative to smoking' which is false.
"Whether it’s nicotine or weed vaping can be fatal. I was lucky.
"The doctors didn’t think I was going to make it but with prayers from family and friends I pulled through after almost a week on a ventilator.
"No one thinks this will happen to them and neither did I which is why I kept vaping.
"It took less than 48 hours for me to be put in a drug induced coma and a tube put down my throat because I could no longer breathe on my own."
The dangers of vaping are real and this can happen to you. Please don’t let it
Simah Herman
Simah first suspected something was wrong two years ago when she started having nausea issues - and months later she was unable to eat, sleep or "live normally".
However, things took a terrifying turn when she began gasping for air and had to be rushed to hospital last month.
And her family were even told to prepare for the worst as she lay hooked up to a ventilator for two weeks.
Simah, from Long Beach, New York, has since shared photos holding signs saying she wants to start a "no vaping campaign".
She added: "The dangers of vaping are real and this can happen to you. Please don’t let it.
"It’s not easy to quit, nicotine is a very addictive chemical but the more you vape the more likely you are to end up where I did.
"Take action and don’t let this happen. Please tell your family and friends the dangers of vaping because no one realises until they’re put in a situation so serious.
"I’m sharing my story so you don’t have to have your own.
"Get help please and if you need someone to talk to I’m here to help anyone who needs it.
"Don’t let vaping win. Take back your life and quit smoking. It’s just not worth it."
It follows a spike of mysterious and life-threatening lung diseases - believed to be linked to vaping - over the summer.
In the US, two people are now reported to have died from vaping-related lung illnesses.
While more than 215 people, mostly otherwise healthy and in their teens or 20s, have shown up at hospitals with breathing difficulties.
Often they've also suffered with vomiting, fever and fatigue for several days prior.
Some have even ended up in intensive care on a ventilator for several weeks.
It's prompted health bosses to issue a warning while they investigate the issue.
The US's health protection agency, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday that people should "consider restraining from using e-cigarette products".
So far, officials say the cause is unknown, but they are carrying out investigations.
Dr Melodi Pirzada, chief paediatric pulmonologist in Mineola, New York, told the outbreak is "becoming an epidemic... something is very wrong.”
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