The aim of this study was to investigate effects of smoking on the overall survival of young female lung adenocarcinoma patients after curative resection. A total of 282 surgically treated young females (younger than 40) with histologically confirmed primary lung adenocarcinoma were studied retrospectively. Overall survivals (OS) and related prognostic factors were analyzed. The 5-year OS of current-smokers and non-smokers were 20 and 36.6%, respectively (P = 0.03). As for patients with stage I disease, the 5-year OS of current-smokers and non-smokers were 50 and 68.8%, respectively, (P = 0.02). Smoking (RR = 3.15, CI 1.726-8.786) was identified as an independent prognostic factor. Current-smokers (21.4 vs. 14.5%, P = 0.03) and non-smokers (37.9 vs. 28.8%, P = 0.02) all benefited from adjuvant chemotherapy. Among young female patients with adenocarcinoma, current-smokers have a lower survival rate than non-smokers, especially patients with stage I disease.