KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Smoking is the main cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which severely limits a person capacity to breathe.

The disease, COPD for short, is the sixth leading cause of death in the world.

Health authorities here are concerned because COPD is expected to become the fifth leading cause of death in Malaysia if nothing is done to help smokers kick the habit.

Collectively, they spent RM9 million daily buying 33 million cigarettes in 2006, according to the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey conducted that year

"Malaysia has approximately half a million COPD suffers," said Institute of Respiratory Medicine director Datin Dr Azizah Ahmad Mahayiddin, who launched COPD World Day celebrations here yesterday.

"What is more alarming is that the number of smokers is growing."

Project this worldwide and it's no wonder that COPD is the 12th leading cause of disability in the world.

The disease impairs a person's lung function and airflow is restricted. No one knows better how debilitating COPD is than 67-year-old Sharone Zainal Abidin who was diagnosed with the disease in 1997.

"I began smoking when I was 16 because I wanted to appear macho," said Sharone, formerly a broadcast assistant with RTM.

"I regret smoking and I wish I could go back to ballroom dancing too. Now all that is just a dream because I am not fit to do that anymore.

"I volunteer at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital when I can, but I am often seen here at the institute for my medicine," he said.

"If I could turn back time, I would chose never to smoke."

New Straits Times/Asia News Network

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