What started as a harmless habit quickly turned into a nightmare. A 34-year-old man who says he was vaping “every 10 seconds” around the clock has issued a desperate warning to others after a terrifying health scare left him hospitalized and gasping for air. His story has since exploded across social media, sparking a heated debate about how addictive vaping really is.
Josh Miller, a construction worker from Brisbane, said he picked up vaping during lockdown and never imagined it would spiral out of control. “I didn’t even notice how much I was doing it,” he told BBC News. “Every time I finished a sentence, or got in the car, or scrolled on my phone — I’d hit it. It became like breathing.”
But last month, Josh woke up in the middle of the night unable to catch his breath. His chest was tight, his heart racing. Within minutes, paramedics were rushing him to the hospital. “I honestly thought I was dying,” he said. “That was my wake-up call.”
“I thought I was dying. My chest felt like it was collapsing.” — Man who vaped every 10 seconds @BBCNews
Doctors told him he had developed severe inflammation in his lungs, consistent with long-term, heavy vaping. One specialist compared the condition to early stages of what has been seen in cases of EVALI — a vaping-associated lung injury that can be fatal if untreated. “The scary part was they said if I had ignored it another day, I might not have woken up,” Josh recalled.
Josh estimates he was inhaling from his vape roughly 400 to 600 times a day — far more than what experts consider typical. A nicotine test at the hospital reportedly showed levels “through the roof.” One doctor told ABC News Australia that his nicotine intake was equivalent to “several packs of cigarettes a day.”
“I never smoked cigarettes, so I thought vaping was the safe option,” Josh said. “But I was wrong. I learned the hard way.”
“He wasn’t just addicted. He was vaping at a rate we usually see in emergency admissions.” — Respiratory specialist @abcnews
Public health experts have long warned that the perception of vaping as harmless is dangerously misleading. According to recent reports from CDC researchers, chronic high-frequency vaping can cause rapid nicotine dependence, lung damage, heart strain, and serious withdrawal symptoms when stopped abruptly. One pulmonologist told The New York Times that some patients now show damage similar to heavy cigarette smokers — but at a much younger age.
Josh’s story is hitting a nerve online, with thousands of users on X sharing their own struggles with quitting. One viral post read, “I thought I was in control. Then I realized I couldn’t go five minutes without hitting it.” Another user commented, “This could be any of us. Vapes make it way too easy to overdo it.”
“I couldn’t go 5 minutes without it. Vaping nearly wrecked my lungs at 23.” @PopCrave
Nicotine delivery from vapes can be deceptively intense, with some disposable models packing the equivalent of dozens of cigarettes in a single device. “Because there’s no natural stopping point, people end up vaping constantly,” Dr. Amrita Singh, a respiratory expert, explained to The Guardian. “Unlike cigarettes, there’s no burn down. That’s how someone ends up inhaling every few seconds.”
Josh said that after his hospital scare, he flushed his vape down the toilet and hasn’t touched one since. But the withdrawal, he admits, was brutal. “I was shaking, sweating, angry, craving it so bad,” he said. “It felt like I was trying to quit something way stronger than I ever imagined.”
He has since joined a support group and begun sharing his story publicly in hopes of warning others before it’s too late. His post on Instagram — showing a hospital wristband and oxygen mask — has now been liked more than 300,000 times, with comments pouring in from people around the world.
“I flushed it. I haven’t looked back. If my story saves one person, it’s worth it.” — Josh @guardian
“This isn’t about judging anyone,” Josh said. “I just wish someone had told me how fast it can take over your life. I thought I was fine. I wasn’t.”
Experts urge anyone who vapes heavily and experiences chest tightness, shortness of breath, or dizziness to seek medical help immediately. They also stress that nicotine dependence can be treated — but recognizing it early is key. “The earlier people act, the easier it is to reverse the damage,” Dr. Singh said.
Josh hopes his story will stop someone else from ending up in his position. “It’s not cool. It’s not harmless. It almost killed me,” he said. “That night changed everything.”
