About half of all Americans will make at least one New Year’s resolution, and one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to quit smoking.

I can tell you that this will be one of the best resolutions you can make for yourself.  If you need a little extra motivation, and maybe to allay some reservations you have, here are answers to a few commonly asked questions I get from my patients regarding quitting smoking.

Are you a smoker?  Do you feel you cannot be as active as you used to be?  Do you get short of breath when you do something strenuous?  Do you cough every morning?  Do you get frequent episodes of coughing illnesses during the winter?  These may be the early signs of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease or COPD, a progressive but treatable lung disease.