Health and Wellbeing Devon Councillor warns of hidden risks of smoking in new campaign launch Posted on: 16 November 2012 Take a breath campaign A Devon County Councillor has spoken of the difficulty faced by his father who died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cllr Philip Sanders , 65, from Tavistock in Devon, said his father had been a life long smoker and after being diagnosed with COPD his last five or six years were uncomfortable and unpleasant. Cllr Sanders is now supporting a new campaign launched  this week called ' Take a breath' that highlights the dangers of COPD which accounts for more deaths every year in the UK than breast, prostate or bowel cancer. The launch coincides with World COPD Day on Wednesday, 14 November. COPD is the name used to describe a number of lung conditions that are mainly caused by smoking, such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. People with COPD have trouble breathing in and out. In Devon it is estimated that over 20,000 people have COPD but almost 8,000 of them don't even realise they have it. The disease is the second most common cause of emergency admission to hospitals and one of the most costly inpatient conditions treated, costing the NHS almost 600m nationally every year. Cllr Sanders said his father had never been ill in his life but had smoked for as long as he could remember. "When he was in his early 50s he got his first dose of bronchitis and