INTRODUCTION　Viral　hepatitis,　caused　by　various　hepatitis　viruses,　is　a　global　health　threat　leading　to　chronic　liver　disease,　hepatic　cirrhosis,　hepatic　failure,　and　hepatocellular　carcinoma.　Smoking,　a　known　risk　factor　for　numerous　chronic　diseases,　has　been　implicated　in　the　pathogenesis　of　viral　hepatitis.　However,　understanding　the　relationship　between　smoking　and　viral　hepatitis　is　complex　due　to　the　presence　of　confounding　factors　and　the　potential　for　reverse　associations.　METHODS　We　utilized　Mendelian　randomization　(MR)　analysis　to　explore　the　potential　association　between　smoking　behavior　and　viral　hepatitis.　In　this　study,　SNPs　were　utilized　as　instrumental　variables　in　a　Mendelian　randomization　framework　to　examine　the　relationship　between　smoking　behavior　and　viral　hepatitis　risk.　To　ensure　the　accuracy　of　the　experiment,　our　data　were　sourced　from　large-scale　genome-wide　association　studies　(GWAS)　and　analyzed　using　a　series　of　methods,　such　as　inverse　variance　weighting　(IVW)　and　leave-one-out　analysis.　RESULTS　The　MR　analysis　revealed　significant　positive　associations　between　SNPs　related　to　smoking　initiation,　status,　and　cessation,　and　the　risk　of　viral　hepatitis.　The　IVW　method　demonstrated　a　consistent　rightward　shift　of　the　effect　estimates,　indicating　a　potential　increase　in　viral　hepatitis　risk　associated　with　smoking　exposure.　Smoking　initiation,　status,　and　cessation　were　associated　with　increased　odds　of　viral　hepatitis　by　2.17-fold　(95%　CI:　1.45-3.24,　p=0.00015),　2.93-fold　(95%　CI:　1.58-5.41,　p=0.00061),　and　5.30-fold　(95%　CI:　2.05-13.70,　p=0.00057),　respectively.　The　leave-one-out　analysis　further　validated　the　robustness　of　our　model,　with　minor　SNP-specific　deviations　observed.　CONCLUSIONS　Our　study　presents　strong　associations　between　smoking　behavior　and　an　elevated　risk　of　viral　hepatitis,　highlighting　the　need　for　further　investigation　into　this　potential　connection.　These　findings　underscore　the　importance　of　smoking　cessation　in　liver　disease　management　and　inform　public　health　strategies　aimed　at　reducing　the　burden　of　viral　hepatitis.