Lola Young has gone public with the toll that years of vaping have taken on her body.
The British singer, 25, posted a candid TikTok video last week in which she described her lungs as feeling “battery powered” and complained that “breathing feels like a chore.” The “Messy” hitmaker told followers she had once dismissed warnings that she would start feeling the effects of vaping around age 25 or 26, but now admits “the day has come.”
Young’s video struck a lighthearted tone even as she detailed her symptoms. “That day has come, where my lungs feel like they’re battery powered, like they’re just one big battery, and breathing feels like a chore,” she said in the clip. “It feels like hard work. It feels like I should be paid for breathing. Feels like I should be paid to breathe.” She joked that she ought to receive “£30 ($40) an hour for breathing” before adding grimly, “It feels like there will be no tomorrow.”
The singer acknowledged her own skepticism about earlier warnings, noting that she had “rolled her eyes” when told she would eventually feel vaping’s impact. Despite her current symptoms, Young told followers she plans to continue using e-cigarettes until she turns 45.
Viewers quickly spotted the irony in her situation. “Not the vape on the bed… Lol,” one commenter wrote, pointing out the device visible behind her. Another responded with resignation: “Why can’t we just invent ONE safe addiction, my GOSH.”
The post also drew an outpouring of concern and personal testimony from fans who had faced similar health crises. “Babe you need to quit. I vapes for 4 years and on the 5th I felt it bad it. Vaping was like breathing for me, I regret so much not quitting sooner. It gets so much easier after a bit, really,” one fan wrote. Another shared a more severe experience: “I was hospitalized from it over a month ago and am still recovering. I was vaping since I was in high school and I’m 29…I promise you NOTHING is more important than your health.” That same commenter added encouragement based on their own success: “I have tried to quit at least 20 times before and nothing got me to quit until I thought I wouldn’t be able to breathe for the rest of my life!! You CAN be free from this and it’s amazing!”
Other fans reported quality-of-life improvements after quitting, with one noting they had been “vape free since December” and that their life had “improved so much without it.”
Young’s disclosure comes as vaping remains prevalent among American adults. In 2024, roughly 7.0 percent of U.S. Adults reported using e-cigarettes, translating to approximately 18 million people. Medical experts continue to study the long-term consequences of the habit.
Dr. Zafar said that “vapour may contain fine particles, metals, aldehydes, and chemicals that irritate or inflame the airways, which could cause side effects including a cough, dry mouth, sore throat, headaches, and nausea.” He emphasized that without the “decades of evidence needed to calculate vaping’s precise lifetime risks,” the full extent of potential bodily damage remains unclear.
Young first broke through with her 2024 single “Messy,” which climbed charts internationally and established her as a rising voice in British pop. The London-born artist has built a following partly through her unfiltered social media presence, a style that has now extended to discussing her health choices with fans.
The singer has not announced any changes to her upcoming performance schedule.