Does Smoking Cause Genetic Mutations In Your Children?

A man sits outside and holds a slim menthol cigarette between his fingers. Close-up with focus on the cigarette. getty

The short answer to the question is yes. The longer, more interesting answer is that until recently, the factors that shape the rate and nature of these mutations have remained poorly understood. For centuries, we’ve thought of these changes as part of the "genetic lottery," something we can't control. Science is now revealing that our choices and environments can tip the scales. The recent book, Destiny's Child No Longer: Rewriting Genetic Fate , explores how advances in genetics are helping us understand and, in some cases, even influence this process. Now, a significant study published in Nature Communications provides some of the clearest answers yet