British television personality Paul Danan has passed away at the age of 46, only a few months after facing hospitalization due to respiratory failure and pneumonia linked to his 'obsessive' vaping behavior. Experts have shared their insights on the implications of vaping.
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Brits have been reminded over the health risks of e-cigarettes after a TV star died only months after being hospitalised with a vape addiction.
Paul Danan, who appeared on Hollyoaks and Love Island, died aged 46, his management team announced on social media this morning. A statement read: "It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of Paul Danan at just 46 years old. Known for his television presence, exceptional talent, and unwavering kindness, Paul was a beacon of light to so many."
Mr Danan recently said he had ended up in intensive care for respiratory failure and pneumonia after becoming "obsessed" with vaping. In the wake of his death, recent advice from health experts about problems associated with vaping has re-circulated online. Doctors have said that while vaping is better for you than smoking, it's not completely safe, and carries its own set of risks.
What are the potential dangers associated with vaping?
Doctors around the world have observed lung injuries in patients who report heavy use of vapes - including young teenagers. US pulmonologist Adel Zurob, MD from the Mayo Clinic, recently said: "With vaping, there are a lot of associated lung injury conditions that occur as a result of vaping, including vape-related acute lung injury, which has its own name. We've seen this in young people. There was a period when there was a lot of young people being admitted to hospital, and even requiring mechanical ventilation because of this vape-related acute lung injury.
While vaping is associated with significantly fewer health risks than smoking, there remains a moderate chance of developing lung cancer due to the inhalation of heated substances. He noted, "When you vape, you're still burning something—whether it's through electricity or another method—so you're inhaling that material. Our lungs aren't meant for that, which raises the risk of cancer. I can't definitively say that it's the same as smoking cigarettes, or whether it's more or less harmful, but it's clear that inhaling these combusted substances could lead to an increased risk of lung cancer."
Official advice from the NHS states that nicotine vaping is "substantially less harmful than smoking" and is an "effective tool" for quitting cigarettes. However, it is not "completely harmless, and NHS doctors only recommend it for adult smokers to "support quitting smoking and staying quit".
Paul Danan spoke candidly about his struggles with vape addiction, expressing how it has affected his life and health. He acknowledged the challenges of trying to quit and emphasized the importance of seeking help and support in overcoming such addictions. Danan's openness about his experience aims to raise awareness about the impact of vaping and the difficulties many face when trying to break free from it.
In June 2024, Mr. Danan was urgently admitted to Whipps Cross Hospital in East London due to respiratory failure and pneumonia. He later attributed his hospitalization to his vaping addiction. At one point, Paul was placed on a ventilator in the intensive care unit, and his family was informed that he "might not survive the night."
He stopped smoking in 2021 but started vaping, convinced it was the "safest alternative to smoking." Reflecting on how his issues started, Paul recounted: "I watched a YouTube video where someone exhaled cigarette smoke into cotton wool, and then did the same with vape. The cotton wool turned black from the cigarette smoke, but stayed unchanged after the vape vapour touched it... From that moment, I thought it would be fine, especially since I have ADHD and tend to think visually. I carried my vape everywhere. It was almost like a security blanket for me; I would even fall asleep with it in my hand."
