Marijuana and Your Lungs: Is Vaping Safe for People with COPD? Smoking cigarettes has long been proven to cause severe lung damage, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, and lung cancer. Over time, cigarette smoke destroys lung tissue, fills airways with tar, Vaping is not harmless. A new study from Johns Hopkins Medicine reveals that e cigarettes significantly increase the risk of COPD and high blood pressure. Our own Dr. Todd Hoopman shares firsthand accounts Health Effects of Cigarettes: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Smoking and Tobacco Use CDC