What are the lung dangers with glass blowing? i'm an artist interested in learning glass blowing. i heard that this has risks for developing lung problems. is this true?

Although : Although the biggest hazard by far with glass blowing is related to fire and heat damage to your body and eyes, there are also some rare pulmonary complications that can arise from exposure to molten glass (silica) and some of the hard metals used to color glass (e.g. Cadmium). Pulmonary complications due to occupational exposure such as silica (glass) are referred to as pneumoconiosis. There are various manifestations of this, including acute lung disease causing breathlessness, fevers and cough as well as more chronic lung disease resulting in scarring and fibrosis. This in turn can predispose to infection with tb. If you develop any respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, chest pain or fevers after you begin glass-blowing, seek medical advice from a pulmonary physician or occupational specialist.

Asbestos: I dabbled in glass blowing, years ago. We used asbestos products in the process. Asbestos has been linked to lung cancer. I'm not sure if it is still used in glass blowing. Consider checking with a the art department of a university or college.