Table 1. Screening questions to assess tobacco use.

Step 1: Baseline tobacco assessment asked of all patients

1. Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your lifetime?

(A) Yes

(B) No

2. Do you now smoke every day, some days, or not at all?

(A) Every day

(B) Some days

(C) Not at all

3. Do you use other forms of tobacco every day, some days, or not at all?

(A) Every day

(B) Some days

(C) Not at all

Step 2: Determine if patients are current, former, or never tobacco users

Current = Answers 2A, 2B, 3A or 3B

Former = Answers 1A and 2C and 3C

Never = Answers 1B and 2C and 3C

Step 3: Ask additional questions for current or former tobacco users

For current tobacco use

4. On average, how many cigarettes per day did you smoke in the past 7 days?

5. How soon after waking do you smoke your first cigarette?

(A) <30 min (higher nicotine dependence)

(B) >30 min (lower nicotine dependence)

For former and current tobacco use

6. At what age did you start smoking regularly?

7. At what age did you stop smoking regularly?

8. When you smoke regularly, how many cigarettes per day did you smoke on average?

9. How long has it been since you smoked even a single puff?**

(A) <1 day

(B) 1-7 days

(C) 8-30 days

(D) 1-3 months

(E) 4-6 months

(F) 6-12 months

(G) More than 1 year

**, patients who report smoking within the past 30 days (responses A-C) should receive cessation support as many will misrepresent tobacco use and many will require assistance to prevent relapse.