The Promise and Peril of Vaping, Part 1: A Mystery in Nebraska

<p>When John Steffen died, his family had little doubt that a lifetime of cigarette smoking was to blame. Then, the Nebraska Department of Health got an unusual tip.</p><p>Today, we begin a two-part series on the promise and the peril of vaping. Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/julie-bosman?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">Julie Bosman</a>, a national correspondent for The New York Times, spoke with Kathleen Fimple and her daughter, Dulcia Steffen, in Omaha, Nebraska. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>John Steffen trusted vaping could help him quit smoking. Instead, he became<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/14/us/vaping-victim.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> one of vaping’s first victims</a> in Nebraska. </li><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/health/vaping-illnesses.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article?smid=pc-thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">Vaping can cause lung damage</a> resembling toxic chemical burns, according to researchers at the Mayo Clinic. </li></ul>