Does Smoking Tobacco Cause High Blood Pressure?

No. However, it can temporarily raise blood pressure, and it DOES increase the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases.

Smoking and Heart Health

Smoking injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. So even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Once you quit, your risk of having a heart attack is reduced after the first year. So you have a lot to gain by quitting.

This section © National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

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