A fit and healthy builder feared he was going to die after a "chemical tasting" vape left him with a hole burnt on his lung.
Alex Gittins started experiencing breathing issues shortly after inhaling a vape bought at a corner shop in County Durham on May 25.
He told the Mirror: "I noticed an awful chemical taste in the back of my throat, then five to 10 minutes later I felt what was like a stitch."
As his condition deteriorated over the next two hours, the 31-year-old took himself to A&E, where an X-ray showed he had a collapsed lung.
He was later transferred to the James Cook University Hospital and underwent an operation, during which medics found a hole burnt onto his lung, which they said was caused by inhaling a chemical substance.
Alex, who works as a roofer, said: "I haven't been inhaling anything other than vapes.
"I wasn't doing anything strenuous at work, I was literally stood there with my foot on a ladder and had only been there for 5 minutes. I had done absolutely nothing.
"Next thing you know I'm laying in A&E thinking I was going to die."
Recently, staggering research from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) found that a third of vape products sold in the UK are not compliant with regulations.
In the last six months of 2022, 1.4 tonnes of illegal vapes were seized in the North East of England alone.
Alex claimed the vape may have been "counterfeit", saying: "The vape didn’t look normal - it didn’t look right. It wouldn't stand up and had a curved bottom. Normally you can stand them up.
"I've been to other shops, but this one did good deals on them so I started going there.
"They sell 6 for £20, but that only works out at £3.33. They don't sound very legitimate for that price.
"When I phoned [the shop owner] he said it's not his problem and not to contact him again."
Alex now wants to raise awareness of the dangers of vaping, and expressed concern over how the industry is regulated.
He continued: "I was a fit and healthy person before. I worked as a roofer and went to work every day, Monday to Friday, sometimes from 6am to 6pm. But I'm always on the go, at 100mph, and had no lung conditions.
"This is what scares me, because I'm in good health. Picture someone who's not - it's going to do even more damage to them.
"Or someone who already had lung problems. I could understand if I had another health condition, but I don't.
"I'm laying in the respiratory ward surrounded by people who are all over double my age.
"Even the staff said they've had a very high number of people around my age with collapsed lungs saying the same thing, that they'd just been smoking vapes.
"I've been sat in hospital thinking about it and decided I might as well say something.
"People have accused me of lying but I beg to differ - I'm laying in hospital with a tube in my ribs, and I've been in for two weeks.
"But I'm not fussed about them because as long as it stops one person then I've done my bit.
"My story might discourage a kid from vaping and they might think twice."
