Now we turn our attention to COPD, popularly known as emphysema
. Many smokers have some sort of COPD as they age. They simply can't help it. Smoking does what smoking does, it damages the lungs. So people more, some less, but the damage is there. The question is, how much damage do you want to risk? So when my patients ask me if stopping smoking will help their COPD, the answer is of course it will. The less you smoke the less damage you have. Studies show the progression of COPD slows after smoking cessation. The amount of obstruction in the airways to airflow continues to occur, but at slower rates of decline.