Will Quitting Smoking Cure My Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic (lifelong) disease that requires ongoing management. And it’s made worse by smoking. Smoking is also a risk factor for developing asthma. Exposure to smoke — either by smoking or through secondhand smoke — is a common trigger for asthma attacks in people who already have asthma. 

Unfortunately, there is not yet a cure for asthma. But quitting smoking can have many benefits. It will decrease the number of asthma attacks you have. It will improve your day-to-day asthma symptoms. And it will help your lungs to heal. This will also lower your risk of developing other lung problems, like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects about 1 in 10 Americans. In people with asthma, the airways carrying air into the lungs get inflamed and swollen. This makes the airways smaller, with less room for air to flow in and out. 

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When people with asthma are exposed to a trigger, like pollution or pet dander, the airways become more swollen. And the muscles around the airways tighten. This is called bronchospasm. It causes the typical symptoms of asthma: shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing.

Smoking and asthma

Smoking makes living with asthma much harder. Let’s take a closer look at four ways smoking affects asthma.

1. Smoking is a risk factor for developing asthma at all ages.

One in five people with asthma are smokers. One large study showed that adult women who smoked were 40% more likely to get asthma. Those who were regularly exposed to secondhand smoke were 20% more likely than non-smokers to get asthma. 

Teenagers who smoke may be 4 times more likely to develop asthma than non-smoking teenagers. And children with asthma who “grow out of it” are more likely to develop asthma in adulthood if they smoke.

2. For kids, secondhand smoke can be just as bad as active smoking. 

Children who were exposed to smoke before birth have twice the risk of developing asthma. And when they get asthma, it is more severe and harder to control. In addition, kids with asthma whose parents smoke also have more frequent asthma attacks.

3. Smoking also causes damage to the lungs. 

Smoking causes lung disease by damaging the lung tissue and airways. It can also put you at risk for lung cancer. But the good news is that once you quit smoking, you can stop further damage and improve your overall lung function. It’s never too late to stop smoking.

4. Smoking can make your asthma medicine less effective. 

Smoking cigarettes makes your lungs less responsive to asthma medications than non-smokers. Common medications used to treat asthma include bronchodilators and steroids. Both of these work less well in people who smoke.

Does stopping smoking improve asthma symptoms?

Yes. Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do for your asthma. Once you quit smoking:

• You will have fewer flare-ups.

• Your asthma medications will work better.

• You will lower your risk of chest infections.

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All of this means you’ll need less medication, miss work or school less, and live a healthier life.

Research shows that stopping smoking leads to big improvements in smoking-related asthma symptoms. In just 2 weeks, improvement can be seen in symptoms, like:

• Early morning cough

• Frequency of cough throughout the day

• Wheezing

• Shortness of breath while exercising or walking up stairs

• Amount of mucus produced when coughing

What about vaping with asthma?

People who switch from tobacco cigarettes to e-cigarettes may have an improvement in asthma symptoms and quality of life. But you won’t have any improvement in lung function. And e-cigarettes come with new and equally serious risks. E-cigarettes and vaping products have been linked to severe lung injury and illness — including death.

There’s no long-term evidence to suggest that vaping is safe. If you are considering vaping as an alternative to smoking cigarettes, talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you figure out if it is a safer option on your road to quitting smoking. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Bianca Palushaj, MD

Bianca Palushaj, MD, is a neurology physician at Stanford Hospital. She completed training with the Institute of Functional Medicine, co-authored the first textbook on integrative medicine and geriatrics, and holds a special interest in nutrition and the relationship between gastrointestinal and brain health.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

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