The "gift" from my nicotine addicted elders (dad+2 other adults) was a succeptibility to bronchitis at first. I had it for a year, untreated, because they assumed my horrid coughing was me "just being dramatic because she doesn't like our smoking." Permanent bronchial damage, which has likely led to the increasingly severe asthma I'm dealing with now.

One does wonder if the tendency toward addiction shown by smokers is enough, itself, to cause heritable problems. I don't smoke, don't drink much, but addicted to food for sure.

Joanne, still coughing in Cleveland