Physician smoking status may influence cessation counseling practices.

Objective: Smoking cessation counseling practices may differ between physicians who smoke and those who have quit or never smoked.

Method: Of 917 general practitioners (GP) in Montreal mailed self-report questionnaires in 2000 and 2004, 610 provided data on their smoking status and counseling practices.

Results: Seven percent were current smokers, 32% were former smokers, and 61% were never-smokers.