As a respiratory therapist, I have the habit of smoking had many conversations with patients about them. They ask me all kinds of questions.

Before I'm too old to quit smoking?
According Already a smoker's disease, so why should I stop?
Third 's too late for me, right?

When patients in the hospital because they smoked, it is difficult brutally honest with them because they already feel bad. The last thing they need is a journey of some guiltyoung crayfish in a lab coat white coat on their smoking behavior. So I responded carefully to their questions as best as possible without them feel bad about their negative decisions of life.

But some questions, right? If they are too old or too sick to even think about stopping? Let's look at this for a moment.

benefits of quitting smoking are too great. You are much greater if you quit smoking at a young age. But just because you arealways a bit 'long tooth, does not mean that there is no advantage for you. Consider for a moment.

About 90% of all lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Leave the sink at a time. If people stopped smoking with cancer, 90% of all lung cancer cases would just die out like dinosaurs. But how long will to take the risk of lung cancer, to quit smoking after you? For those who give up smoking for 10 years, the risk is 30-50% Less Than current smokers.Also, if you finish in 15 years, the risk of 80-90% may be lower than in current smokers. What does this real? Let's say you end up with 55. This would mean, at the age of 70 years, we have about the same risk for lung cancer in smokers. So if you're enjoying these grandchildren have a better chance. What happens if you stop when you're 40? Then you can enjoy retirement as much concern for the terrible disease.

Now we turn our attention to COPD, popularly known as emphysema. Many smokers have a type of COPD, as they age. You can not just different. Smoking is not smoking, not what he does, damage the lungs, some more than others, but the damage there. The question is how much damage is at risk? So when my patients ask me if I quit smoking, help their COPD, the answer is, of course it is. Less smoke, less damage you have. Studies show slow the progression of COPD after> Quit smoking. The level of airway obstruction to airflow continues, but at lower rates of decline.