[Nightingale]

Yes, any chemical from any source with long term exposure can and will contribute to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Coal miners have black lung disease, farmers who work with pesticides also have damage. If you have had asthma since childhood that also put you at greater risk. If you developed asthma during adulthood it could be reactive airway due to allergy. Did they do the testing for lung function (blow into this tube til you pass out) or x-rays or just listen to your lungs? I'm trying to decide if you had the ness. stuff done to say you have "Emphysema". As a nurse I'm bound by law to encourage you to stop smoking. It does kill thousands of people. On the other hand yes I smoke and know I need to stop just truly don't want to. So until you make up your mind that this is what YOU WANNA do you probably won't be successful. Until you can make that decision, slow down - make a plan 1 on the way to work, one mid morning, 2 a lunch, one mid afternoon, one on the way home, one after supper, one before bed. Then keep you hands busy, and some hard candy close. I have managed to get down to this without going psycho or gaining weight.

Get health insurance before the put this diagnosis on your medical records, they with put riders on and then will not pay for anything related to that diagnosis.