Lynch warns smokers

“Like walking around with plastic bags around your head”

David Lynch suffers from an incurable lung disease and is now warning other smokers.(Bild: Viennareport)

In his own words, David Lynch leads a "hard" life with his lung disease and is making an appeal to other smokers. 

"I can barely walk across a room," the 78-year-old, who made his emphysema condition public in August, told People magazine. "It's like walking around with a plastic bag around your head." The star director is now dependent on additional oxygen when walking.

Started smoking as a child
According to the report, Lynch started smoking as a child. He was diagnosed with emphysema in 2020 and then took two more years to stop smoking.

Although he is now paying a "high price" for his addiction, he does not regret smoking, Lynch explained. However, he called on other smokers to reflect: "Think about it," he said. "You can stop doing these things that will kill you in the end."

Not curable
The director is known for his cult classics such as "Blue Velvet", "Wild at Heart" and "Twin Peaks". With emphysema, the alveoli in the lungs are partially destroyed or overstretched. Because the respiratory flow is disturbed as a result, the oxygen content in the blood decreases. Common symptoms are shortness of breath, especially during physical exertion, and fatigue.

In most cases, emphysema is caused by smoking. The disease cannot be cured, but can be delayed with medication, for example.