Is it safe to smoke cigars during leukemia treatment?
Smoking during leukemia treatment is something to think carefully about. Research shows that smoking can make treatment side effects worse, including:
- Nausea
- Pain
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
This applies to cigars too, not just cigarettes — any tobacco smoke carries Show Full Answer
Is it safe to smoke cigars during leukemia treatment?
Smoking during leukemia treatment is something to think carefully about. Research shows that smoking can make treatment side effects worse, including:
- Nausea
- Pain
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
This applies to cigars too, not just cigarettes — any tobacco smoke carries similar risks. Smoking can also affect how the body breaks down chemotherapy drugs, which may reduce how well your treatment works. Smokers have been found to experience more side effects than non-smokers — even up to six months after treatment ends.
The encouraging news is that if you stop smoking before starting treatment, your side effects are likely to be similar to those who never smoked at all. Quitting isn't easy — a MyLeukemiaTeam member once shared, "Hardest habit I ever had to kick." But support really does make a difference. Only about 4–7% of people who try quitting cold turkey succeed, so reaching out to your health care team for a quit plan is a great first step.
They may suggest options like nicotine patches or FDA-approved prescription medications like Chantix (varenicline) or Zyban (bupropion) to help.
July 11
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