There’s no shortage of debate on who gets very sick from the virus, and who doesn’t. It is clear that we must do a better job of protecting vulnerable groups: the elderly, the immunocompromised, the poor and the racialized. Yet, data shows that regardless of age or socioeconomic status, those who smoke cigarettes are at higher risk of becoming critically ill when compared to non-smokers. In fact, according to a recent study, smokers are 1.45 times more likely to develop serious complications from COVID-19.