Filmmaker David Lynch reflects on emphysema battle after 7 decades of smoking

Filmmaker David Lynch has opened up about his smoking habit.

In an interview with PEOPLE magazine, David talked about the impact of his decades-long smoking habit.

He shared that he began smoking at just 8 years old and continued for nearly seven decades before quitting at 76.

"In the back of every smoker's mind is the fact that it's healthy, so you're literally playing with fire. It can bite you. I took a chance, and I got bit," he said.

In 2020, he was diagnosed with emphysema, which requires him to use supplemental oxygen for physical activity.

"I saw the writing on the wall, and it said, 'You're going to die in a week if you don't stop.' I could hardly move without gasping for air. Quitting was my only choice," David shared.

The filmmaker, famed for his works like Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive, added about his condition, "It's tough living with emphysema. I can hardly walk across a room. It's like you're walking around with a plastic bag around your head."

“I really wanted to get this across: Think about it. You can quit these things that are going to end up killing you. I owe it to them — and to myself — to say that,” he added with the hope of inspiring smokers to quit before it's too late.