From the pilot episode in 1964 to the reboot film franchise in 2013, Leonard Nimoy made a living being logical and telling people to “Live Long and Prosper” as the universally loved Vulcan known as Spock on Star Trek.

However, there is something very illogical about the life and death of the most logical Vulcan… Ever.

Leonard Nimoy hadn’t smoked in 30 years, but on February 27, 2015, at the age of 83, he died of complications from COPD. “What is COPD?” You might ask, keep reading…

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a type of obstructive lung disease characterized by increasing breathlessness. Smoking tobacco is the most common cause of COPD. (There are a number of other factors, such as air pollution and genetics.)

So, Spock… Sorry, Leonard Nimoy… told his fans about his diagnosis in 2014, which was attributed to all the smoking he had done 30+ years before. However, on CNN he did admit that he had been an “Olympic championship smoker” back in the day.

But seriously, or logically, I should say… Who would think that the smoking someone did 30 years ago would kill them? It doesn’t seem logical… But it is. Once Leonard Nimoy realized this he started reaching out to Vulcan hopefuls everywhere, tweeting things such as; “Stopping smoking? I’m so proud of the quitters. LLAP” and “Don’t smoke. I did. Which I never had. LLAP”. Of course LLAP stands for “Live Long and Prosper”, Leonard Nimoy was so serious that he even snuck an “I quit smoking” button in Star Trek IV. David Knight, husband to Leonard Nimoy’s daughter, Julie, explained some very important facts about COPD; “There is a lot of stigma associated with COPD because people think they brought it on themselves, but one of the facts we want to get out there is that up to 20 percent of the people who get it didn’t smoke. Maybe it was second-hand smoke…”.

Therefore, to everyone that smokes tobacco… Think of your loved ones; children, friends, pets… Second-hand smoke skills too, in many ways!

Also, today is World COPD Day, so be aware; “There are approximately 30 million people that have COPD. It’s currently the third leading cause of death in this country.” -David Knight

“When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” -Spock Sources: @TheRealNimoy on Twitter,  TrekNews, and The COPD Foundation