Hi docs, would smoking just for a few years have an impact on my respiratory health?

Yes: Smoking begins to cause damage with the first cigarette. Over time, it causes changes in the cells lining the respiratory epithelium and lungs, and ultimately these cells may become cancerous. They are also always inflamed and produce mucus, which the lungs cannot properly clear because of damage to the little hair-cells of the lining. It damages the heart and promotes blood clots/other disorders.