Your lungs are trying to kill you, too

It's not the chemicals in cigarettes that give you emphysema, it's your own body attacking the chemicals.

"Neutrophils are powerful at fighting infection, but if left unchecked, they can cause damage to our own bodies....We know that their persistence contributes to the development and severity of many chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis."

Your lungs try to fight off the smoke invaders and do "collateral damage" to themselves in the process. One more reason to quit smoking. Emphysema doesn't run in my family, but of course all the smokers died early of cirrhosis and other alcohol related problems, so I don't really know. Genetics has a big part in getting COPD (emphysema and bronchitis), so we'll see. I've never had bronchitis before, and I had pneumonia once when I was in fourth grade, so I think despite the smoking my lungs are pretty strong. Imagine how much stronger they'll be once I quit! If I can only do it....