Though smoking damages the lungs and could raise risk for cancer, a new study suggests that some heavy smokers may be able to become lung donors. Research released during the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' annual meeting shows that people who received lungs from heavy smokers had the same survival rates as those who received lungs from non-smokers. "Our findings demonstrate that the current criteria for lung transplantation can potentially be revised to include donors with a heavy smoking history. This may help decrease the shortage of donor lungs and decrease waiting list mortality," said Temple cardiothoracic surgeon Sharven Taghavi, the study's author.