Smoking is the main cause of COPD. In underdeveloped countries, smoke from plant products that are burned for indoor cooking or heating is as much a cause of COPD as is cigarette smoking. Other causes of or contributors to COPD include air pollution, second-hand smoke, and occupational exposure to dust and chemicals.
In the United States, chronic lung disease accounts for 73% of smoking-related conditions. Even among smokers who have quit, chronic lung disease accounts for 50% of smoking-related conditions . Other smoking-related diseases or conditions include amputations from Buerger’s disease, throat cancer, stroke, heart attack, and asthma. The longer and more intensely people smoke, the more likely they are to develop COPD.
Many long-term smokers eventually develop COPD, but the severity of the disease varies from person to person, even among heavy smokers. People living in the same environment and smoking