Coughing at the smell of smoke is a medical condition called airway hyperresponsiveness, which refers to a strong or premature contraction of the airways in response to the stimulation of the smell of smoke or cold air. Coughing at the smell of smoke indicates that a person’s body is overly sensitive and should try to avoid exposure to irritating air. If you can’t avoid it, you can take anti-allergy drugs, such as paracetamol and keratan, which can relieve the cough symptoms caused by airway hyperreactivity.