Risky Business: Which Vapes Can Lead to Popcorn Lung? The Misconceptions of Vaping The Truth Doctors have linked vaping to a rare, incurable lung condition called obliterative bronchiolitis, often referred to as popcorn lung. The disease permanently scars and narrows the lungs' airways, causing lifelong breathing problems. It's official. Flavored e cigarettes cause permanent lung damage. And doctors are already seeing it happen. In the United States, a teenager developed something called popcorn lung after secretly vaping for three years.