A few isolated points.
A good friend (smoker) died recently, mostly because of Emphysema. That she died at all is sad. That she gasped for breath for two years, and in the last year couldn't even walk the length of her home, was sadder.

My Mother-In-Law (smoker) died of Lung Cancer at 53.

I've had 3 workmates who gave up. Too late!

I smoked for 26 years, 15-40, then I got a pain in my chest that DIDN'T GO AWAY WHEN I STOPPED SMOKING! I was convinced that I had the big C. It wasn't, but that was warning enough. Haven't even WANTED a smoke in the last 21 years. Lucky, eh?

Never mind film stars, ATHLETES smoked when I was younger, Chris Chataway for one. He gave up, too.