The Burden on the Healthcare System
As more cases of vaping-related lung damage appear, healthcare systems are facing a new challenge. Diagnosing popcorn lung requires scans, biopsies, and lung function tests, which are both expensive and invasive. Patients may need long-term care and ongoing respiratory treatment. The burden of treating preventable diseases is a cost that societies will have to bear unless stronger regulatory actions are taken. Prevention through policy and public education could save not only lives but also billions in healthcare spending.
