This literature review examines the relationship between smoking and post-COVID-19 syndrome, focusing on the role of smoking as a risk factor and potential mechanism for the development of long-term COVID-19 symptoms. The review searches the PubMed/MEDLINE database for articles published up to October 2023, using keywords such as 'smoking', 'long COVID', and 'post-acute COVID'. Out of 374 initial hits, 36 relevant papers were identified. The studies consistently report a significant association between smoking and an increased risk of developing various manifestations of post-acute COVID-19, including respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, and mental health issues. Smoking is particularly linked to respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea, cardiovascular symptoms, and cognitive or mental health impairments. The review suggests that smoking cessation could be a clinical tool to prevent long COVID. However, the data are limited by methodological issues, including retrospective designs and lack of standardized definitions. Despite these limitations, the evidence strongly supports the role of smoking in the development of long-term COVID-19 symptoms.This literature review examines the relationship between smoking and post-COVID-19 syndrome, focusing on the role of smoking as a risk factor and potential mechanism for the development of long-term COVID-19 symptoms. The review searches the PubMed/MEDLINE database for articles published up to October 2023, using keywords such as 'smoking', 'long COVID', and 'post-acute COVID'. Out of 374 initial hits, 36 relevant papers were identified. The studies consistently report a significant association between smoking and an increased risk of developing various manifestations of post-acute COVID-19, including respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, and mental health issues. Smoking is particularly linked to respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea, cardiovascular symptoms, and cognitive or mental health impairments. The review suggests that smoking cessation could be a clinical tool to prevent long COVID. However, the data are limited by methodological issues, including retrospective designs and lack of standardized definitions. Despite these limitations, the evidence strongly supports the role of smoking in the development of long-term COVID-19 symptoms.