Does long-term cigarette smoking really cause impotence?

There is definitely a link between impotence (when a person with a penis can’t get an erection) and cigarette smoking. Many studies have found that adult people with penises are more likely to experiencer erectile dysfunction, the medical term for impotence, if they are smokers. This makes sense since nicotine constricts blood vessels and a person with a penis gets an erection when blood is pumped into his penis.

The average age in these studies was 51. That means it probably takes years of smoking for it to cause impotence, but it’s still a real possibility.