As college students make the switch from cigarettes to marijuana to get their fix and today's teens find even craftier ways to smoke the mostly-illegal substance, they might wanna rethink the device they are using. FOX 5 News reports that James Lauria is recovering from serious injuries after his eCigarette exploded in his mouth. He was on a break at work when his electronic smoking device unexpectedly ignited, leaving him with first-degree burns and a dime-sized hole in the roof of his mouth.

The 23-year-old was airlifted to the University of Alabama's burn unit and he spent a week in the ICU. His worried parents were said to be in disbelief at the injuries sustained in the accident. "He had burns to his hand and a fractured neck and finger, and burns to his cornea," his father, Ed Lauria, told the news station. "It blew a hole through his pallet and at the same time, flames went down and he got first-degree burns on his chest and up on his face. It forced his front tooth up into his gum- out of sight -and chipped the other one and damaged a few other lower teeth."

His mom, Beth Lauria, added, "It hurt to see him with a tube and all. He was restrained but they sedated him. Just to see him go through it was tough."

Six weeks after the accident, James is still recovering in Cobb County and is unable to eat solid foods. Beth says he will be fitted for a mouth prosthetic to hopefully close that hole and alleviate the newly-acquired lisp. As for the defected device? It’s currently in the hands of the South Walton Fire and Rescue Department and they are investigating the incident.

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