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No, you do not have to worry about new popcorn ceilings having asbestos. All residential building materials used since the mid-1980s stopped including asbestos, so new popcorn ceilings have no risk of asbestos. You can still create a textured drywall ceiling with a popcorn texture if you like, but new techniques have no risk of adding asbestos. 

When asbestos fibers become airborne, they enter a person's respiratory system. These fibers scar and damage the lungs and often lead to serious cancers like mesothelioma. Like many dangers in the house, asbestos isn’t easy to see when it could be causing serious damage. The amount of time exposed, combined with the person’s tolerance for asbestos inhalation and the amount inhaled, will all contribute to health problems.

Asbestos is a carcinogen, meaning it increases the risk of cancer. Inhaling asbestos fibers is linked to several respiratory issues, including asbestosis, or scarring on the lungs, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, another type of cancer. There's also a link between asbestos exposure and an increased risk of colon cancer and other cancers of the digestive system.

Usually, the people most at risk for disease related to asbestos exposure are those who spend a lot of time working around the material without protection. Electricians who work with asbestos wire have a higher risk of developing mesothelioma or lung cancer due to their exposure.

Asbestos is commonly found in certain older homes, depending on the time period in which they were built. Asbestos use in home construction began in the 1920s and peaked after World War II before being limited by legislation in the ’70s, so a house constructed in 1880 is unlikely to contain asbestos, while one built in 1950 is much more likely to. Research a home’s history to determine the time period when it was built and any renovations made since.