COPA, I have pretty severe arthritis for my age (55), that due mostly to old injuries and a genetic defect that affects strength of cartilage. I do not yet have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), but I was a 2 pack a day smoker for nearly 40 years until I switched to vaping a bit over a year ago.
While my breathing is much better than it was when I was smoking and my lungs are currently clear. Odds are very good that I will develop Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as I age further due to my history as a smoker.
In fact, my mother quit smoking in her early 50s and developed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in her mid-70s.
Thanks for the compliments on my abilities as an "explainer". That comes from several years of writing technical documentation for "end users" who knew nothing about using the products the documentation was meant to tell them how to use.
In addition, I put in several years doing telephone technical support before getting into network support and management.