Asbestos is serious whether you think so or not.  In case you don’t know, asbestos consists of small hairs that came from mines and was used to make many construction materials including popcorn.  It was later discovered that asbestos was a carcinogen such as cigarettes.  In order to determine if your popcorn ceiling contains asbestos or not, you will need a small plastic bag and a razor knife.  Scrape a small portion into the bag and purchase a testing kit or if you have a local testing facility, simply bring it in.