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 Increased Symptoms
Oregonians who smoke and have asthma report that their symptoms are far worse than those of asthmatics who do not smoke. Figure 2 illustrates that while 18% of nonsmokers with asthma experience symptoms every day, 38% of smokers with asthma experience daily symptoms (p<.05).
 Symptoms seem to translate into activity reductions, as shown in Figure 3. Smokers with asthma suffer activity limitations at one and a half times the frequency as those with asthma who have never smoked (55 vs. 34%, p<.05), or former smokers (55 vs. 38%, p<.05).
 Our findings echo those of another cross-sectional study in which asthmatic smokers experienced more daily activity interference. Because smokers who experience worse respiratory symptoms may be more likely to quit smoking, these analyses probably underestimate the true effects of smoking on lung function for people with asthma.
Other studies of adults with asthma have also found smoking to be antithetical to asthma control. A case-control study concluded that asthmatics who were current smokers experienced more symptoms, more exacerbations and more severe asthma. Additionally, a prospective longitudinal study found much greater degradation of lung function over a 22-year period among asthmatics who were current heavy smokers than among either current heavy smokers without asthma, or asthmatics who did not smoke.
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