Can Vaping Cause “Popcorn Lung”?

The old tune of “Popcorn Lung”

Electronic cigarettes have often been subjected to various criticisms, ranging from the toxicity of nicotine to the fear of popcorn lung. Recently, a state legislator from Michigan made a series of ignorant statements claiming that harm-reduction nicotine products could pose health risks, which sparked outrage among vaping users. Democratic State Senator Dayna Polehanki claimed she knew of a high school student who developed “acute popcorn lung” after vaping for the first time, reiterating an old narrative.

“Popcorn lung” is a colloquial term for obstructive bronchitis, a chronic lung disease associated with various air pollutants. One chemical speculated to be related to it is diacetyl, a natural fermentation product found in butter, red wine, and various other foods. It is also used as a flavoring in some e-liquids. While ingestion of diacetyl is safe, there is some evidence suggesting that inhalation may not be. In fact, only a few cases of popcorn lung have been linked to diacetyl, and in the initial cases, all but one were workers at the same popcorn factory, hence the name.

There are speculations that inhaling liquids containing diacetyl could lead to popcorn lung, but researchers have not seriously investigated this. The concentration of diacetyl in cigarette smoke is hundreds to thousands of times higher than in any e-liquid, yet there has never been a case of popcorn lung associated with smoking. This is also a disease that requires years of exposure to develop, so the idea that anyone could develop “acute popcorn lung” from a single use of cigarettes or e-cigarettes is utterly absurd. Senator Polehanki's statements are considered either severely misguided or fabricated.

However, the ultimate outcome of Senator Polehanki's “story” is that the child has now recovered and returned to school. Obstructive bronchitis, or popcorn lung, cannot be cured without a lung transplant and is usually fatal. To date, no patient has been able to self-recover, so perhaps Polehanki really got it wrong.