I am 82 and 9 months and never smoked .....and hope the pulmonologist is right about those who never smoked..."most likely would avoid being on oxygen."
I never smoked but Mother and brother smoked in the house and anywhere else one could light up a " cancer stick/emphysema sick" back in the days before they finally limited smoking areas. So we who are of a certain age were possibly around a lot of second hand smoke.
My best guesstimate is that I have had BE, Bronchiectasis, for at least 10 years before being diagnosed. Finally diagnosed in 2022. I believe the straw that broke the camels back was developing the infection, MAI, that possibly brought on the need to clear the throat of mucus. The clearing of the throat developed in late 2020 after three possible dramatic episodes of breathing in peat moss particles, bird nest dust, and dried leaf and soil dust. All within a couple of years just prior to 2022. That is called reflection after being diagnosed and learning about where we possibly come in contact with bad bacteria and what condition our lungs may be in at the time.
My philosophy is that it is never just one thing that has caused an event or happening....things happen along the way as we walk this earth and breath. If we are lucky the build up of all the events and happenings don't manifest into anything serious. However my other belief is that with Covid we all can chalk that one up to one of those events that could have added to other events and happenings, causing damage.
We and the professionals don't have all the answers yet and probably never will.
Barbara