Vaping May Have Caused Broomall Man's Coma, Lung Failure: Reports

BROOMALL, PA — A 19-year-old Broomall man is in a medically-induced coma at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and vaping seems to have played a role in his condition.

According to Fox 29, Kevin Boclair's lung failed and doctors suspect it is a result of vaping.

Boclair is now in a medically-induced coma and connected to a heart/lung machine, Action News reports.

Fox reports the 19-year-old Bloomsburg University sophomore quit vaping, but picked it back up.

"He was coughing violently enough that he was throwing up. In the morning, he didn’t look good," his mother Debbie Boclair told Fox. "His color was like gray. I ran him to the urgent care and they did an X-ray."

She told Action News Kevin Boclair's doctors told her outright that vaping is tied to his condition.

He may need a double lung transplant, according to Fox.

The CDC recently issued an alert for an outbreak of severe pulmonary disease associated with vaping.

As of Aug. 27, 215 possible cases of severe pulmonary disease associated with the use of electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, products, have been reported by 25 states and additional pulmonary illnesses are under investigation, the CDC said.

Read the full alert here.

"Although the medical community is still learning about the long-term effects of vaping, it is becoming evident that vaping is a major health hazard," said Dr. George Avetian, Delaware County’s Senior Medical Advisor. "There is already enough evidence to support the prevention of vaping use by young people."