A study reported on MedicineNet’s website says that smoking has a similar effect on the lungs as cystic fibrosis.

“Smoking seems to have a similar effect on the lungs as cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic disease affecting the lungs and other organs, a new study reveals.

Researchers found that like cystic fibrosis, smoking leads to the production of sticky mucus that causes dry cough and infections. They concluded that cystic fibrosis treatments could potentially be used to treat smoking-related diseases — and vice versa.

Cystic fibrosis interferes with the movement of salt and water in the cells lining the lungs, trapping bacteria in thick mucus, resulting in potentially fatal infections. The researchers said that smoking has a similar effect, resulting in mucus that causes several health problems, including dry cough, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

…cigarette smoke affects a protein that helps the lungs stay hydrated, known as CFTR. They found that smokers had a 60% drop in CFTR activity, compared to non-smokers.”

Read the full article here: Smoking’s Effects

(According to another article on the same website, one specifically about cystic fibrosis: “A defect in the CFTR gene causes cystic fibrosis (CF). This gene makes a protein that controls the movement of salt and water in and out of your body’s cells.“)

Basically, cigarette smoke is causing the same problem that a genetic defect causes in those suffering from cystic fibrosis. The big difference is that smokers are doing it to themselves, over and over again.

The article concludes with the statement that the best treatment for smoker’s cough is to quit smoking. I would like to echo that statement, and also suggest that the only way to prevent the many health problems associated with tobacco smoke is quitting  smoking. And as I have said many times before, there is no safe way to use tobacco. Protect your health by quitting now!