Hurricanes Linked to More Smoking Among Diabetics

What Was Studied and Why It Matters

When hurricanes strike, the chaos doesn't end when the storm passes. Researchers wanted to know whether people living with chronic conditions — including diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, and cancer — were more likely to smoke cigarettes or use e-cigarettes in the aftermath of a major disaster. After hurricanes Helene and Milton hit parts of the southeastern United States in 2024, scientists surveyed 418 adults across Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida to find out.

This matters deeply for people with diabetes. Smoking raises blood sugar, damages blood vessels, worsens insulin resistance, and dramatically increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and nerve damage — complications that diabetes already makes more likely. Understanding what drives smoking after disasters can help patients and healthcare teams plan ahead.

What the Researchers Found

The results were clear and concerning:

• Hurricane-related stress was consistently linked to higher intentions to start or continue smoking both regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes, as well as actual use in the past 30 days.
• Depression and anxiety symptoms nearly doubled the likelihood that someone intended to use cigarettes after the storm, and significantly increased e-cigarette intentions too.
• Climate change anxiety — worry specifically about worsening extreme weather — was tied to higher e-cigarette use, even after accounting for other factors.

In plain terms: the more stressed, anxious, or depressed someone felt after the hurricane, the more likely they were to reach for a cigarette or vape as a way to cope.

What This Means for Real Patients

If you are managing diabetes and live in an area prone to hurricanes or other natural disasters, this research carries a practical message: your mental health during and after a disaster directly affects your physical health choices.

Smoking even occasionally can make blood sugar harder to control and increase your risk of serious diabetes complications. Here's what you can do:

• Build a disaster mental health plan alongside your physical health plan. Know who you can call if anxiety spikes — a counselor, a crisis line, or a trusted support person.
• Keep your diabetes supplies stocked and accessible. Running out of insulin, test strips, or CGM sensors during a disaster adds enormous stress. Services like MDS Diabetes can help you maintain a reliable supply of diabetes management essentials so that one less thing goes wrong when disaster strikes.
• Talk to your care team before hurricane season about smoking cessation resources you can access even if clinics are temporarily closed — many offer telehealth options.
• Recognize the warning signs: if you notice cravings creeping back after a stressful event, that's a signal to reach out for support, not a reason for shame.

Bottom Line

A 2025 study confirmed that hurricanes significantly increase smoking and e-cigarette use among people with chronic diseases like diabetes, driven largely by stress, depression, anxiety, and climate worry. Because smoking is especially dangerous for people with diabetes, disaster preparedness should include mental health support and substance use resources — not just physical supplies. Planning ahead, keeping your diabetes supplies secure through trusted providers like MDS Diabetes, and having a mental health safety net in place can help protect your health when the next storm comes.