I'm healthy and 17, was wondering if lung failure is possible? don't smoke or drink. can it just come on its own?

No it doesn't: Overall lung failure is rare in someone so young. So we need you to tell us more about how you picked this diagnosis to ask about. In other words we need to know if you have a family history of a lung disease or asthma or other immunocompromised disease state. Therefore see your MD & let them take a complete history and do a complete physical exam.Glad to hear you don't smoke or drink.Stay healthy

No: As you are healthy, no h/o smoking or drinking and no h/o asthma or any other lung disease and no injury to lung, there is no chance for lung failure. It does not come on its own.

No: It does not just happen out of the blue. However there are some conditions like cystic fibrosis (although this would have presented at birth) or alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency or Wegener's granulomatosis that present at a later time and can present with lung dysfunction.