The 122-Year-Old Who Smoked for Nearly a Century

Meet Jeanne Calment, the French woman who broke every longevity rule in the book. Born in 1875, she lived to the verified age of 122 years and 164 days—making her the oldest person in recorded history. But here's the kicker: she smoked cigarettes from age 21 until she turned 117.

That's 96 years of smoking. Nearly a century of lighting up after meals, puffing away while the world changed around her. She finally quit not because of health concerns, but because her eyesight got too bad to use a lighter.

A Life That Defied the Odds

Calment's husband got her started on the habit, offering her cigarettes after meals. She never went overboard—just two cigarettes a day, typically enjoyed with a small glass of port wine and dessert. Her lifestyle wasn't exactly what doctors would recommend: she also ate up to two pounds of chocolate per week and rode her bicycle well into her 100s.

She met Vincent van Gogh as a teenager (calling him "dirty, badly dressed and disagreeable"), lived through both World Wars, and was still mentally sharp enough at 120 to release a rap CD. Yes, really.

The Outlier, Not the Rule

Before you toss out your health advice and reach for a pack of cigarettes, understand this: Jeanne Calment was a statistical anomaly. Her case is about genetic lottery and extraordinary luck, not a smoking endorsement.

She did experience health issues—heart failure at 111, arthritis later on—but somehow her body kept ticking. Scientists have studied her case extensively, looking for longevity secrets. The consensus? She had exceptional genes and even more exceptional fortune.

Most smokers don't live to 122. In fact, smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide, linked to heart disease, cancer, and respiratory illness. Calment's story is fascinating precisely because it's so unusual.

What About Today?

Calment died in 1997, but her record still stands. As of 2025, the oldest verified living person is 116 years old—six years shy of Calment's smoking retirement age. Her case continues to fascinate gerontologists who study extreme longevity.

Some researchers have even questioned whether her age was truly accurate, suggesting a possible identity swap with her daughter. But multiple investigations have confirmed her documentation, and Guinness World Records maintains her status as the oldest verified person ever.

So yes, the world's oldest person smoked for nearly a century. But she's the exception that proves the rule: don't try this at home.