black and grey specks in sputum

i have had black and grey specks in my sputum for over 5 years.  I told my doc and was given a chest xray 5 years ago which was clean.  Another xray done recently is also clean.  Recently I got a chest infection and lots of coughing.  Doc ordered another chest xray which also came up clean.  When I was a child 20 years ago, I was exposed to absbestos.  As a stupid teen/ college student I smoked cigerettes and quit in 1997 (after smoking for 8 years)  I also continued smoking pot almost daily until a year ago.  After my recent clean chest xray, the doc now says he would like me to see a pulmonologist because of the black and grey speckles in my sputum.  I am only 31 and now am scared silly? How serious can this be?  I am concerned that I was not sent to a pulmonologist 5 years ago.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

[National Jewish]

The black and gray speckles in your sputum could be from the asbestos exposure or from a combination of smoking and the asbestos exposure.  Age 31 is a good time to determine what is going on.  It may not be serious.  Since you have quit smoking, the problem may eventually go away completely.

[Jimmie66]

A related discussion, grey specks in sputum was started.

[Jimmie66]

A related discussion, grey specks was started.