Hi, Yes smoking increases the risk for stroke.It is one of the major risk factor for stroke Smoking affects metabolism and the chemistry of blood vessels in several ways, all of which put increases risk for stroke: The chemicals in cigarettes damage the walls of the arteries, resulting in a buildup of fatty plaque that can harden and narrow the arteries, restricting blood flow to your brain. Smoking irritates the lungs and blood vessels, causing irritation inside the body (an inflammatory response) that increases the number of white blood cells and other predictors of increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and sudden death. Smoking makes the blood more likely to clot. These clots can travel in your bloodstream until they finally become stuck in one of the blood vessels in your brain, cutting off blood flow and triggering a stroke. Smokers tend to have high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides—two types of blood fat that increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Smoking also lowers HDL (good) cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL (bad) cholesterol from the artery walls