Can I give blood if I smoke?
Yes, a smoker can give blood. Smoking is not among the conditions the blood services list, which are age, weight, haemoglobin, blood pressure and the gap between donations. The rule about cigarettes applies only on the day you give: no cigarette for at least two hours afterwards.
Why everybody says something different
The services do not all write the same. ITKS advises avoiding smoking for at least two hours after donating, and ZTK Niš advises avoiding risky behaviour, smoking among it, for the next 24 hours. If you heard one and somebody else heard the other, you are both right: two hours is the least, and the whole day is safer.
What to do
- Before donating none of the sources below gives a rule about smoking. Come rested and unhurried, like every donor.
- After donating, at least two hours without a cigarette, and if you can, do not smoke that day, do not drink alcohol and do not strain yourself. That makes you less likely to feel faint.
- If you are unsure, tell the doctor who examines you before donating. The final decision is always theirs.
What else applies on the day is in the question what to eat before and after giving blood, and who cannot give blood is in the question who cannot give blood. The “Can I donate?” screen in the app works out from which day you can give again.