According to the view which is deemed to be the most correct, smoking is haram, and hence selling cigarettes is also haram because of the harm inflicted on the person buying it.
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Al-Shinqiti, Director of the Islamic Center of South Plains, Lubbock, Texas, states the following: “The most correct and preferred view among jurists is that smoking is haram (prohibited). Therefore, selling the haram is tantamount to consuming it. In addition, selling cigarettes is harmful, and inflicting harm on anyone is also forbidden according to the principles of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: “There must not be harm or reciprocating harm.”
Even if the person is going to harm only himself, we are not supposed to help him in doing this. What about if he is going to harm a lot of people?
The pretext that many people are raising that their businesses might be affected if they don’t sell cigarettes is a very weak argument. There cannot be an excuse for making money at the expense of harming people. There are many other alternatives that the merchant can try to make up for the shortage.”
Moreover, Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi Muslim lecturer and author, adds:
“Smoking is haram, growing tobacco is haram, and dealing in it is haram, because of the great harm which it causes. This is because of the Prophetic hadith “There must not be harm or reciprocating harm.”
Moreover, smoking is also one of al-khaba’ith or evil things. Allah described the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as “he allows them as lawful all good and lawful things and prohibits them as unlawful all evil and unlawful things” (Al-A`raf: 157).”