Temporary Lung Problems

• Not all smoking effects last a lifetime. Some are just temporary, but can continue to reoccur. Some temporary problems smokers can expect to have are colds, bronchial infections and pneumonia. Chronic bronchitis is the most common of the three among smokers.
  
  

Excessive Mucous

• You may often see smokers drawing up their mucous and spitting it out. The reason smokers have excess mucous is because the smoke causes the cells that produce mucous to grow. Not only do more mucous cells arise, but they get thicker in size. The smoke also causes the cilia (tiny hairs) to slow down. Since it is the cilia's job to clean the lungs, this function isn't getting performed properly, which means the mucous isn't being removed as it should. Having that excess mucous in your body can also make you have a chronic cough.
  
  

Permanent Damage

• Smoke damages the air sacks in the lungs and causes them to close up. The body can produce new air sacks, but they are not as effective as the original ones. The lungs start to prematurely age and they begin to not be able to carry around the oxygen they need. The oxygen cleans the body and prevents infections. Without proper delivery of oxygen the lungs become at risk for ailments. This can even lead to lung cancer.
  
  

Expect Complications

• There are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes. These chemicals irritate the airways and the lungs. They cause complications such as shortness of breath, wheezing and the more serious emphysema. Once you have emphysema there is no cure. Sometimes oxygen can help, but it still won't cure the disease.