Cigarette smoking Several studies have shown that cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for stroke (Shaper et al 1991; Wannamethee et al 1995; Wishant, 1997) In a population of 7,735 British men monitored for eight years, cigarette smoking was found to be associated with a risk of having a stroke (Shaper et al 1991). Shinton and Beevers (1989) found that cigarette smoking increased the risk of cerebral infarction among smokers compared to non-smokers. However, the risk of stroke disappeared two to four years after stopping smoking (Kawachi, Colditz and Stampfer 1993). In the only study in Saudi Arabia, El Sayed et al (1999) found that 1.8 per cent of stroke survivors who been admitted to hospital were smokers, although these results should be carefully interpreted because there were no comparisons between smokers and non-smokers.