4. Causes of COPD ATrain Education Can E cigarettes help COPD patients quit smoking and reduce harm to lungs? 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, More evidence that e cigs damage lung health independent of smoking Stanton Glantz blog