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Smoking & Lung Diseases

It is well-established that smoking causes or increases the risk for a variety of ailments. The most well-known health hazard of smoking is lung disease.

  1. Lung Cancer

    • Up to 90 percent of lung cancers in the United States are caused by smoking. According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer kills more people than colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined.

    Emphysema

    • Emphysema is one of two diseases known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). In this condition, the air sacs in the lungs are destroyed, reducing the ability of the lungs to exchange air and bring oxygen to the body. Smokers are 10 times more likely to develop COPD than nonsmokers.

    Chronic Bronchitis

    • Chronic bronchitis is the other COPD illness. Smoking causes constant irritation to the airways leading to inflammation. The irritation and inflammation cause excessive mucus secretion which clogs the airways, making breathing very difficult.

    Asthma

    • While smoking doesn't cause asthma, it can cause frequent asthma attacks in people with asthma who smoke. Over time, smoking will worsen a person's asthma by causing damage to the airways.

    Passive Smoking

    • People who are exposed to second-hand smoke are in danger of many of the same lung diseases that affect smokers. Children of parents who smoke are at higher risk for repeated lung infections.

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