Willie Nelson's Health Problems Explained

Few people have permeated the pop culture landscape like country star Willie Nelson. His winding climb up the record business hierarchy is the stuff movies are made of; from life as a struggling musician working odd jobs to writing hit songs, like Patsy Cline's "Crazy," to recording world-known anthems like "On the Road Again," "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," and his cover of "Always on My Mind." His real-life journey was eventually referenced in the 1984 film "Songwriter." Going beyond the musical odyssey, though, Nelson's political views and advocacy for the legalization of marijuana, coupled with his signature bandana, braided locks, twangy voice, and incredible longevity, have made the Abbott, Texas native instantly recognizable after several decades of public life. 

As a longtime smoker, a veteran of life on the road, and a person of advancing years, though, Nelson has endured more than his share of health problems over the course of his life and career, particularly during recent decades. "I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever, and that almost killed me," Nelson said in 2019, via KSAT. As a result, Nelson has been forced to undergo major lifestyle changes — some of which made shockwaves — to keep himself healthy and making the music that has won him generations of fans. Here's a roundup of some of the physical challenges Nelson has faced, as well as the steps he has taken for the sake of his health.

Outside of rapper and fellow pop icon Snoop Dogg, who referred to himself as a "master" of smoking marijuana in a 2012 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, perhaps no living person is more closely associated with the pot-smoking life than Willie Nelson. That made it all the more shocking when, in 2025, it was revealed that Nelson had finally gotten off the proverbial weed train for good. Speaking with Forbes, the singer-songwriter made no bones about the fact that his body had reached its limit where sparking up was concerned, saying, "Well, I can't smoke anything anymore. My lungs have already said, 'Don't do that.' So, I don't really do anything now much except a few edibles." That's not to say, though, that Nelson cut cannabis from his life entirely. 

Going beyond the consumption of edibles, Nelson also has his own, branded, THC-infused social tonic, which he and his longtime spouse, Annie D'Angelo, helped to develop. Said Nelson of the venture, via Forbes, "I think it's great. I don't do a lot. My wife does a lot for it. She works hard and talks to a lot of people, and I nod my head a lot and say, 'Yes, thank you.'"

While Willie Nelson has been synonymous with smoking weed for decades, one of the earliest reported instances of him experiencing lung damage may not have been directly caused by smoking at all. Rather, it was a swimming excursion during a family vacation that resulted in the singer suffering a collapsed left lung. In August 1981, Nelson was taken to Maui Memorial Hospital in Wailuku, Hawaii, after experiencing chest pains while he was in the water near Kihei. While no surgery was required, doctors reportedly inserted a tube into Nelson's chest to assist with drainage while his lung was in recovery. He was subsequently forced to pull out of a plethora of planned concerts, as noted in The New York Times.

The injury came during a noteworthy time in Nelson's career, as he was still riding high off the success of "On the Road Again." Released as a single just one year earlier, along with the B-side, "Jumpin' Cotton Eyed Joe" — the song also appeared on the soundtrack for his film "Honeysuckle Rose" — the track was recognized as the Best Country Song at the 23rd Annual Grammy Awards. It also garnered a nomination for best original song at the 53rd Academy Awards.

Given his public image as a stoner messiah, much of the discourse surrounding Willie Nelson's health and physical issues that have cropped up over the years has been centered on his smoking habit, the state of his lungs, and his ability to breathe properly. However, Nelson has encountered other issues, too, some of which have brought his touring and desire to perform to a temporary halt. Such was the case in May 2004 when the then-71-year-old was forced to cancel shows due to wrist pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome. The issue was reportedly so severe that Nelson was forced to undergo surgery to correct it.

According to the Mayo Clinic, carpal tunnel syndrome is a common hand condition caused by pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel, which is a narrow passageway surrounded by bones and ligaments on the palm of the wrist. When the nerve is compressed, people can experience symptoms including numbness, tingling, and weakness of the thumb and/or fingers. Repetitive hand motions, an unavoidable hazard for a guitar player and touring musician like Nelson, are among the possible causes of the condition.

When someone is as visible and well-known as Willie Nelson, private health issues have a tendency to become the general public's concern. That is perhaps doubly the case for Nelson, given his age and status as an evangelist for smoking what many consider to be a dangerous and illicit substance. As a result, waves were made in August 2012 when the singer was hospitalized after he suffered breathing problems. As reported by NBC News, Nelson failed to appear on stage for a concert in Castle Pines, Colorado, due to his hospitalization. A promoter ultimately informed the crowd that he was contending with "breathing problems due to the high altitude and emphysema," though Nelson later suggested pneumonia could have also been the cause.

Emphysema, a form of chronic obstructive lung disease (or COPD), is described by the American Lung Association as a progressive lung disease causing shortness of breath. The disease, which can be caused by smoking, is defined by damage to the lung tissue and alveoli, or the tiny air sacs inside the lungs. As the disease progresses over time and the air sacs break, stale air gets trapped in the damaged tissue and prevents oxygen from easily moving into the bloodstream. There is no known cure for emphysema, but quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke are key to managing the disease.

Despite the medical conditions it may have exacerbated or even caused over the years, Willie Nelson has remained unapologetic about his longtime smoking and cannabis use. Still, Nelson has nonetheless taken steps to mitigate the impact of his lifestyle and improve his overall health. One such effort was his decision to receive stem cell therapy, which was revealed in 2015. "Over the years, I've smoked a lot of cigarettes, and I've had emphysema and pneumonia four or five times, so my lungs were really screwed up, and I had heard that this stem cell operation would be good for them. So, I said, 'Well, I'm gonna try it out,'" Nelson told The Washington Post at the time, via The List.

Stem cell therapy works by taking stem cells from one area of that body (or that of a donor) and injecting them into areas that are injured or diseased, where they can potentially help repair or regenerate the damaged tissue; in Nelson's case, the lungs. However, the American Lung Association has cautioned that the therapy is experimental in nature and not without its risks. Whether or not the stem cell procedure positively impacted Nelson is probably known only by him, his inner circle, and his medical team. That said, the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee has continued to live his best life and share his music with the world.

Willie Nelson's 2025 revelation that he had stopped smoking weed made headlines, but some of the sizzle had already been removed from the steak six years earlier when he said that his days as a smoker were over. "I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days, and I have to be careful," he said in the 2019 interview with KSAT. "I don't smoke anymore — take better care of myself." At the time, some interpreted the statement as possibly meaning that his joint-rolling days were officially over. However, Nelson's publicist, Elaine Schock, later told People that Nelson did indeed "still taste the flower." "Willie doesn't smoke any more or any less [weed]," Schock added.

Regardless of what he did or didn't smoke after making those declarations, Nelson noted that his continued dedication to touring and performing was helping him keep his lungs as healthy as they could be. "Singing out there for an hour is a good workout," Nelson told KSAT. "Your lungs are the biggest muscle you've got. So, when you're out there working, you are working out." 

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how people lived their lives in monumental ways. For performers like Willie Nelson, there was a period when it completely negated their opportunity to get out in front of a crowd and share their talents. For others, it meant contending with a serious illness, one that could wreak serious havoc on their bodies or even cost them their lives. In May 2022, long after social distancing, mask mandates, and lockdowns ended in the U.S., Nelson contracted the coronavirus and dealt with a particularly nasty case of the illness. "I had a pretty rough time with it," he told The New York Times, via Billboard. "COVID ain't nothing to laugh at, that's for sure."

Nelson reportedly woke up on his tour bus in the middle of the night, struggling to breathe. After a positive PCR test confirmed the presence of COVID-19, he and his wife, Annie, got to work trying to combat it. "I had a nebulizer on the bus," she told The New York Times. "I started everything I could at that point, including Paxlovid. He had the monoclonal antibodies. He had steroids." She added that they later turned their Spicewood, Texas, ranch into a "hospital," and further noted "there were a couple of times when I wasn't sure he was going to make it." Nevertheless, Nelson was back on the road two weeks later.

Most recently, Willie Nelson was forced to cancel a number of performances as he was slated to take the stage as part of the Outlaw Music Festival tour. As such, one of Nelson's kids was called in to pinch hit for his ailing father. "We regret to inform you that Willie Nelson is not feeling well and, per doctor's orders, has been advised to rest for the next four days," a statement from one of the tour venues read, via X. "In the meantime, Lukas Nelson and the Family Band will perform a special set to include Willie's classics and other songs." Considering his age and history of lung issues, fans were undoubtedly concerned about his status at the time. It didn't take long, though, for Nelson to get back on the road again.

As reported by the New York Post, Nelson returned to the stage a few weeks later at his annual Fourth of July Picnic event in Camden, New Jersey. In his first action after the health scare, the then-91-year-old received what the Post described as a "thunderous standing ovation" as he stepped out onto the performance space.

Make no mistake about it, Willie Nelson has gone 12 rounds and beyond in battling his health issues, many of which stem from the abuse he has inflicted upon his own lungs. Between emphysema, COPD, COVID-19, and multiple hospital stays and medical procedures, his trouble with the IRS (in the 1990s) and the law for marijuana-related offenses barely register as blips on the radar at this point. Even as lung, breathing, and other issues have occasionally resulted in mandatory downtime, though, Nelson has continued to be as prolific a performer and recording artist as almost anyone, besting stars half his age or younger, in some cases. In late 2024, Nelson released his 76th solo studio album, "Last Leaf on the Tree," which was also his second release that year. That was followed in early 2025 with "Oh What a Beautiful World."

In 2023, Nelson famously took the stage on his 90th birthday to do what he does best. Asked by the AARP why he opted to perform instead of taking the day off to celebrate with family, Nelson said, "Working is really good for me, no matter what kind of show it is." Clearly, Nelson is intent on doing whatever he wants with the time he has left, regardless of the health struggles he may be dealing with.

In 2019, Willie Nelson told Rolling Stone that smoking marijuana probably saved his life. "I wouldn't be alive. It saved my life, really. I wouldn't have lived 85 years if I'd have kept drinking and smoking like I was when I was 30, 40 years old. I think that weed kept me from wanting to kill people. And probably kept a lot of people from wanting to kill me, too — out there drunk, running around." Despite the lung issues that his habit may have contributed to, he doubled down on the sentiment four years later, telling E! News in 2023, "Well, it not only saved my life, it probably saved some other people's lives because before I smoked marijuana, I was drinking a lot. And I might have killed a lot of people, too. So, I'm just glad that didn't happen ... I'm glad we live through all of the bad times."

Whether marijuana helped Willie Nelson survive into old age or not, the singer has taken steps to keep himself rolling beyond riding the good vibes, keeping busy, and eating right. Nelson has also studied martial arts for decades, to the point that he has become a master of a discipline that has been compared to Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do. Nelson earned a fifth-degree black belt in GongKwon Yusul in 2014 after roughly 20 years of training. The Korean martial art was founded in 1996, and it takes cues from other Korean-based arts like hapkido and Japanese disciplines like jiu-jitsu and judo.

Said Nelson of his continued practice of martial arts, via Chron.com: "It's just good for you physically. For your lungs. The more you're breathing, exercising, the better you're going to feel." In his memoir, "Willie: An Autobiography," Nelson revealed that his interest in martial arts dated back to boyhood when he saw self-defense books advertised in "Superman" and "Batman" comic books, adding, "Since I had to fight a lot — and I liked it — I wanted to be good at it. I got all the books on [jiu-jitsu] and judo, which were the main martial arts of the time. I've always been interested in martial arts. Twenty-five years later, I took kung fu classes where I learned how to let things slide instead of trying to act macho."