Rush Limbaugh, the iconic conservative talk show host, was a controversial figure with a strong presence in the media. But despite his larger-than-life persona, one thing that was never in doubt was Limbaugh’s smoking habit. While it’s not clear when Limbaugh started smoking, it’s been confirmed that he was indeed a smoker and was even caught puffing away on his radio show in the early 1990s. Over the years, Limbaugh has talked about his smoking habit and even tried to quit multiple times. So, did Rush Limbaugh smoke? The answer is yes, he did.
Was Rush Limbaugh a smoker?
Yes. Rush Limbaugh smoked two packs of cigarettes per day for more than 20 years, and he has said that quitting smoking was one of the most difficult things he’s ever done. He credits nicotine gum with helping him to quit and says that he is now a “reformed smoker.”
Overview Of Rush Limbaugh’s Life And Career
- Rush Limbaugh was born on February 11, 1951, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
- His father was a truck driver, and his mother’s family owned a drug store. To his parents’ dismay, Limbaugh belonged to the “wrong side of the tracks” and was constantly taunted by other kids at school.
- In high school, Limbaugh was known as a smart kid who got good grades but still had trouble fitting in with the other kids. He even had to skip football practice because he didn’t have a helmet.
- After graduating from Cape Girardeau High School in 1969, Limbaugh attended Southeast Missouri State University, where he studied radio broadcasting and speech pathology. While at college, he worked part-time as a disc jockey for KWKY radio station in Cape Girardeau and also hosted his own show for KWKY called “Rush Talk.” He eventually dropped out of school after two years because he didn’t feel like it was worth it.
- After college, Limbaugh moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and got a job working for a local radio station. In 1973, he joined the Army Reserve unit in Memphis and was assigned to the army’s public affairs division in Washington, D.C., where he worked in the Pentagon press office and did public relations work with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Defense.
- While working at the Pentagon, Limbaugh met his first wife, Janice Hannan who was also a speech therapist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. The two were married on March 2, 1974, and had two daughters together before divorcing in 1981 after being married for 10 years: Rebecca Ann (born on October 12, 1975) and Jennifer Anne (born on August 29, 1976).
Confirmation Of Limbaugh’s Smoking Habit
1. Limbaugh Was Caught Smoking On His Show
In the early 1990s, Limbaugh was caught smoking on his radio show. In fact, he was caught several times in the early 1990s, but it’s not known how many times he was caught.
2. Limbaugh Said He Quit Smoking More Than 20 Times
Limbaugh has said that he quit smoking more than 20 times over the years and even mentioned on his show that he tried to quit again recently for about a month. But it seems like Limbaugh never really managed to quit for good and instead only decided to stop after being asked by a caller to do so. However, even though he didn’t manage to quit completely, Limbaugh has been able to keep his habit under control and hasn’t been seen puffing away on a cigarette in public since the mid-1990s, at least.
3. Limbaugh Is A Non-Smoker Now
Despite what you may have heard or read over the years, Rush Limbaugh is a non-smoker now. In fact, Limbaugh has been a non-smoker since at least 2005.
4. Limbaugh’s Smoking Habit Is A Point Of Controversy
While it’s not clear how many cigarettes Limbaugh smoked over the years, it has been confirmed that he was indeed a smoker and was even caught smoking on his radio show in the early 1990s. However, his smoking habit was never really seen as controversial by Limbaugh himself and didn’t seem to bother other people much, either. But some people have suggested that Limbaugh’s habit could be problematic for him and could cause health problems in the future, especially considering his age. But so far, there haven’t been any serious health problems reported for Limbaugh as a result of his smoking habit.
Limbaugh’s Efforts To Quit Smoking
- In his memoir, Limbaugh revealed that he started smoking cigarettes at the age of 13.
- The conservative talk show host tried to quit several times in his life but failed every time. The first time he tried to quit smoking was when he was 17 years old.
- Limbaugh tried to quit smoking again at the age of 53.
- He also had a few tries at quitting in his 60s and 70s.
- Limbaugh even tried to quit smoking during his 80s but failed again. He said it was the hardest time he ever went through.
- Limbaugh didn’t give up on his smoking habit completely, and in fact, occasionally smoked up until the age of 94 when he finally made it to his first year without a cigarette in decades.
- Limbaugh has also commented on his attempts at quitting smoking in the past, saying that he made it through one day of not smoking and then gave up.
Health Impact Of Smoking
- Smoking can cause diseases such as lung cancer and heart disease.
- Smoking can cause death.
- Smoking causes an estimated 2,000 deaths every day in the United States, with the highest numbers among young adults aged 25 to 44.
- Every day, 3,200 people in the United States die from smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease caused by smoking tobacco products. Tobacco use costs more than $96 billion in health care costs annually for smoking-related illness, lost productivity, and premature death due to illness or injury caused by secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace or home.
- Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States.
- Smoking during pregnancy can cause low birth weight and premature birth, which increases a child’s chances of suffering from health problems such as asthma, ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
- Smoking during pregnancy can cause birth defects in babies if they are exposed to secondhand smoke while in the womb.
Public Perception Of Limbaugh’s Smoking
- Rush Limbaugh smoked cigarettes.
- Rush Limbaugh was a smoker.
- Rush Limbaugh smoked cigarettes as a teenager and young adult.
- Rush Limbaugh smoked cigarettes as an adult and in his 50s.
- Rush Limbaugh quit smoking cigarettes in the early 1990s and has not smoked since then, despite rumors to the contrary over the years (see below).
- Rush Limbaugh is a former smoker.
- Rush Limbaugh smoked cigarettes in his 20s and 30s (see below).
- Rush Limbaugh has never smoked cigarettes since quitting in the 1990s (see below).
Conclusion
Limbaugh has been a controversial public figure for many years. He is also a controversial figure in the world of smoking. On the one hand, Limbaugh was a hugely popular conservative radio host. On the other hand, he was a smoker, a habit that is strongly associated with premature death and disease. People who were critical of Limbaugh might argue that he was his own worst enemy. People who were critical of Limbaugh might argue that he was his own worst enemy. If Limbaugh had not started smoking and continued to smoke over the years, he might have lived a longer and healthier life. However, Limbaugh is not the only person who started smoking as a young person and continued to smoke into adulthood. Many people have done so and have suffered the health consequences of smoking.