Introduction: Longitudinal studies of multiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrated decrease of mortality rates (MR) throughout Europe and United States. The aim of this study was to explore possible a correlation between reduced MR in MS and prevalence rates (PR) of cigarette smoking (CS) in Poland. Method: The study was based on 10 272 MS patients (M – 4367, F – 5905) who died since 1982 thru 2008. Annual, average, crude MR (CMR) and sex-adjusted MR (SAMR) in MS per 100 000 population were correlated to PR of CS per 100 inhabitants in the general population and 2 subpopulations. Data were obtained from the Central Statistical Office and the Centre of Oncology in Warsaw. Results: CMR, SAMR in M and F were significantly higher in the years 1982–1995: 1.33 (SD 0.07), 1.19 (SD 0.13), 1.47 (SD 0.07) than in the years 1996–2008: p=0.000006, p=0.0002, p=0.0008. There was a decrease of CS PR in the years 1982–2008 in the general population (p=0.000003) and in M (p=0.0000004). No decrease of CS PR in F was found (p=0.127). CMR and SAMR among M with MS showed highly significant correlation to PR of CS in the period 1982–2008; r=0.673,p=0.0006; r=0.774, p=0.0001. No correlation was found between SAMR among F with MS and PR of CS: r=0.369, p=0.0910. Conclusion: Reduction of MS mortality was associated with a decreased incidence of CS in the general population and among males, but not among females.