So you've come to terms with the fact you have asthma, yet you continue to smoke. Even if you've tried quitting a hundred times, what follows are 20 incentives for you to never quit quitting.

1.  Studies (like this) show that smoking has several irritants that increase the thickness of the air passages in asthmatic lungs, and increases the number of cells that produce mucous.  This may explain why asthmatics who smoke experience increased asthma symptoms "such as increased shortness of breath and increased phlegm production." 

The study showed that quitting smoking can reverse this thickness.  Likewise, the study revealed that it does not matter how many years you smoked or how much you smoked.  If you quit, your lung function will improve.

2.  Studies like this show that chronic inflammation caused by smoking irritants can actually lead to adult onset asthma.

3.  Smoking itself is an asthma trigger that can cause asthma exacerbations now and in the future, and can make ongoing asthma attacks worse.

4. The asthma guidelines from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute note the #1 cause of severe asthma is smoking. 

5. Likewise, according to "Egan's Fundamentals of Respiratory Care," 15-70% of those with COPD also have "reactive airways," which is asthma.  So, if you continue smoking, you might move right into an even worse disease category.

6. It's a fallacy that asthma goes away with age.  So, if you used to have asthma and smoke because you think you no longer have asthma (like former child asthmatics in denial), you are at an increased risk of developing severe asthma.

7. According to the Asthma Initiative of Mighican, smoke filled rooms can have up to six times the air pollution as a busy highway.  

8.  The American Lung Association (ALA) notes smoking is associated with 90% of lung cancer deaths, and  it's also significantly increases your risk for heart disease, stroke and harms nearly every organ in your body.  It's also associated with a host of other cancers and diseases.

9.  Your smoking is dangerous to your your family members, friends and coworkers who inhale your second hand smoke.  Even short-term exposure can potentially increase the risk of heart attacks and lung cancer. 

10.  Smoking around children increases the risk of lower respiratory tract infections like Respiratory Syncitial Virus (RSV) and bronchiolitis, which can lead to hospitalization and even death. 

11.   Second hand smoke has also been linked with increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

12.  Second hand smoke can cause an asthmatic to have an asthma attack.  Likewise, it can actually cause healthy children to develop asthma.