I work in the Cardiopulmonary field and deal with people everyday that have basically destroyed their lives because of smoking. Its good that you have enough intelligence to ask about this stuff, Im glad to see this post on here.
The most common Condition caused from smoking is called COPD, which stands for cronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD involves one or more of the following: Emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis,bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis. The most common associate with smoking is Emphysema and bronchitis. Emphysema unlike most respiratory conditions is irreversible and treatment is usually very limited. It is caused by a breakdown of the walls of the inner part of the lung called alveoli, which are basically tiny little air sacs where oxygen is taken into the body and carbon dioxide is relased. When you smoke, it is like putting your mouth up to an exaust pipe of a car, your body takes in carbon monoxide and what most people dont realize is your body only has so much room for oxygen to be stored. The bad thing about smoking is that your body likes carbon monoxide 200 times more than it does oxygen, so what do you think is going to happen? Its going to take the carbon monoxide over the oxygen. generally people end up having a hard time even walking to the bathroom or to the mailbox without breathing like you been running in a 5 k race. can you imagine trying to have sex with you girl with oxygen tubing hanging out of your nose because your lungs are so fucked up you need supplemental oxygen. Smoking also paralyzes little hair in your lungs called cilia that kind of sweep dirt dust and whatever bad shit you breath out of your lungs. If they are paralyzed they cant do this and you become more prone to infection such as pneumonia. Bottom line......Smoking fucks you and the people around you up bad, and you will have trouble the longer you smoke. Zyban works for most of the patients that I give it to alot better than gum or patches. In answer to your original question, No, there are no positive effects to smoking. E-mail me and I will be glad to help you as much as I can.
Good luck