What happens to the respiratory system's efficiency due to smoking?

Smoking has a significant negative impact on the efficiency of the respiratory system. When a person smokes, they inhale a variety of harmful substances, including tar, nicotine, and other chemicals that can damage the lungs and airways. Over time, this exposure leads to chronic inflammation, increased mucus production, and impaired ciliary function—structures that help clear mucus and debris from the airways.

The accumulation of tar and the overall irritation from smoke can lead to conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which are part of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These conditions reduce the lungs' ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide effectively, leading to decreased respiratory efficiency. Additionally, smoking can cause structural and functional changes in the alveoli, the small air sacs where gas exchange occurs, further compromising respiratory function.

In contrast, it is not accurate to say that smoking improves efficiency or that there is no change in efficiency. Additionally, the production of cilia is not increased by smoking; rather, smoking typically damages the cilia, making them less effective in clearing mucus and pathogens from the respiratory tract. Therefore, decreased efficiency is a direct consequence of the harmful effects of smoking on the respiratory system.