If you’ve ever watched the Gaga: Five Foot Two documentary on Netflix, you’ve seen the haze. There’s a scene where she’s sitting on a porch, talkin' about the pressures of the industry, and she’s got a cigarette in one hand and a lighter in the other. For a decade, that was the vibe. But honestly, things have changed.
The question of does Lady Gaga smoke isn't a simple yes or no anymore because she has basically undergone a total lifestyle overhaul. We aren't just talking about a New Year's resolution that failed by February.
She was a heavy hitter. We’re talking two packs a day.
The "40 Cigarettes a Day" Era
Back in 2020, while she was doing the rounds for her Chromatica album, Gaga sat down with Zane Lowe for Apple Music’s New Music Daily. She didn't sugarcoat it. She admitted that she used to smoke 40 cigarettes every single day.
Think about that for a second.
That is back-to-back smoking. It’s constant. She described the process of quitting as "brutal" and "so hard." She actually told the world that she "saw Jesus for an entire week" because the withdrawal was so intense.
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Her reason for quitting wasn't just about her voice, though that’s obviously a huge factor for a singer with her range. It was about survival. She told Zane Lowe, "If you don't smoke, don't smoke! Because quitting is worse."
Why Did Lady Gaga Smoke So Much?
It wasn't just a casual habit. For Stefani Germanotta, substances were often a way to cope with the "trap door" of fame. In a recent March 2025 interview with ELLE U.K., she opened up about using drinking and smoking as an "escape route."
She felt like she was living on the edge.
There was also the physical pain. Gaga has been very open about her battle with fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder that causes widespread muscle pain and fatigue. For a long time, she used marijuana to manage the flares.
In her 2013 interview with Elvis Duran, she confessed to smoking up to 15 or 20 "marijuana cigarettes" a day. She was "lily padding" from substance to substance to numb the physical agony of a fractured hip and the mental weight of being a global icon.
The Turning Point in 2022
The Chromatica Ball tour in 2022 was a massive milestone for her. She told Vogue in late 2024 that this was the first time she performed completely pain-free.
And the biggest news?
She hasn't smoked pot in years.
She credits a lot of this stability to her fiancé, Michael Polansky. She mentioned that they organized their lives around a healthy creative output rather than the "misery" that fueled her earlier work. It’s a complete 180 from the ARTPOP era where she felt she had to be high to be creative.
What About Now? Does Lady Gaga Smoke Today?
As of early 2026, the answer is a firm no.
She has been incredibly vocal about her sobriety from nicotine and her shift away from self-medicating with cannabis. While she used to be seen with clove cigars (she once told BBC Radio 1 she preferred them for the "ritual"), even those seem to be a thing of the past.
She’s in what she calls her "boring" era.
And honestly? She loves it. She told ELLE that being "boring" is a gift because the alternative was dangerous. She’s present. She’s happy. She’s healthy.
Health Impacts and Vocal Longevity
When a singer smokes as much as Gaga did, the vocal cords take a beating. Smoking causes inflammation and can lead to polyps or a permanent rasp. If you listen to her recent work, like the Harlequin album or her collaboration "Die with a Smile," the clarity is insane.
Quitting "cold turkey" probably saved her upper register.
- Nicotine: Quitted cold turkey around 2020.
- Marijuana: Hasn't used it "in years" according to her 2024/2025 updates.
- Clove Cigars: Used as a transition/anxiety tool in 2016, but now phased out.
It’s rare to see a celebrity be this transparent about the "un-glamorous" side of addiction. She’s not just saying "don't do drugs"; she's explaining the specific, agonizing week of withdrawal where she felt like she was hallucinating. That’s real E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) right there.
If you’re looking to follow her lead and kick a heavy habit, the best move is to consult a medical professional about a cessation plan. Cold turkey worked for Gaga, but for many, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or behavioral counseling is the safer, more sustainable route. You can start by checking out resources like Smokefree.gov or talking to a GP about how smoking impacts your specific health conditions, especially if you deal with chronic pain like fibromyalgia.