OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the impact of smoking on quality of life and productivity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). METHODS: Data from the National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) were used for this study. Respondents aged 40+ reporting diagnosis with COPD, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema in the United States in 2009 and 2010 were included, using 2010 data for individuals completing the survey in both years. The smoking group included subjects diagnosed with COPD and who reported currently smoking (n=1685). The former smoker group consisted of those diagnosed with COPD who reported not smoking in the last 11+ years (n=1932). Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed with the physical (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores from the SF-12v2, and the SF-6D. The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment scale (WPAI) assessed productivity, including absenteeism, presenteeism, and overall work and non-work activity impairment. Multivariate generalized linear models predicted HRQoL variables using maximum likelihood estimation and an identity function. This approach was also used to predict productivity impairment, with a negative binomial distribution and a log-link function. Covariates included age, sex, race, insurance status, marital status, income, BMI, alcohol use, exercise, and asthma diagnosis.  RESULTS: The multivariable results showed the following HRQoL differences between current smokers and former smokers with COPD: MCS (44.8 vs. 46.7, p<0.001), PCS (35.1 vs. 35.8, p=0.079), SF-6D (0.63 vs. 0.65, p=0.001). Model results for productivity data estimated the following differences: absenteeism (3% vs. 1%, p=0.355) presenteeism (23% vs. 18%, p=0.010), overall work impairment (25% vs. 21%, p=0.043) and activity impairment (52% vs. 49%, p=0.004).  CONCLUSIONS: Compared with former smokers quitting 10+ years prior, COPD sufferers currently smoking have poorer MCS scores, equivalent PCS and health utility scores. They also show similar absenteeism, greater presenteeism and mildly impaired overall work and activity impairment.