Vaping and COPD: Is it okay or can it cause more problems? 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, E Cigarettes and Vaping PPAC Central Frontiers Inhalation of nicotine containing electronic cigarette vapor exacerbates the features of COPD by inducing ferroptosis in ENaC overexpressing mice