Passive smoking - what’s the effect years later?

[Qwenzo]

Just thinking about my 70s childhood. My mum smoked 20-30 a day, in the house, in the car and never cracked a window. I was frequently taken to smoky places etc. I left home at 21 and have never smoked myself or allowed anyone to smoke in my home.

What is the likely effect of 21 years of passive smoking? Is my risk of anything happening lessened given that I’ve spent 20 odd years away? Whenever I get a cold I get a cough immediately but I’ve only ever had one chest infection (turned to pleurisy)

Just idly wondering, as you do on a rainy Saturday!

I was born in the 60s, both parents smoked, pretty heavily inside the house, inside the car, and similarly never opened windows anywhere! I developed asthma at 21 and left home at 23. I had a lung function test several years ago which showed reduced lung function and although my asthma is well controlled, my peak flow is reduced. Not surprisingly my dad died of emphysema 10 years ago and my mum has the same disease now!

I have never ever smoked and absolutely hate it!

My mum is still going! I actually can’t believe she hasn’t succumbed to anything smoking related, although she does have COPD. When her cat died I did wonder if he’d had something related, poor bugger must have spent so long in a fuggy atmosphere!