emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) are related lung conditions that are caused by many years of cigarette smoking ("smoker’s lung"). an estimated 3.1 million americans have been diagnosed with emphysema; 11.2 million u.s. adults were estimated to have copd. the disease is estimated to kill more than 120,000 americans each year. smoking is the major cause, but with ever increasing air pollution and other environmental factors that negatively affect pulmonary patients, those numbers are on the rise. there is no denying it, we must continue our work to reduce the suffering and the toll emphysema is taking.