Cigarette smoking poses China’s most critical public health problem.  Among Chinese adult males, the prevalence of current smoking is around 63%.  Effective approaches for smoking cessation are needed.  The purpose of this study was to identify family, peer, workplace, health, and cigarette cost reasons for quitting smoking. Other factors that may impact quitting, including demographic variables, parental use, age of smoking initiation, nicotine dependence, health status, and psychosocial factors, were also examined. 

        Self-report questionnaires on tobacco use and related health behaviors were administered to students and their parents who were randomly selected from seven cities located in Northeastern, Southwestern, Coastal and Central regions of China. The current study consists solely of fathers who reported ever smoking (N=3089).  Stepwise logistic regression was utilized to investigate the impact of various influences on quitting behavior. 

        Controlling for covariates, seven of eight reasons to quit smoking were statistically significant.  Males observed in this study indicated that cigarette price was not a major motivation for quitting. Odd ratios associated with significant reasons for quitting or quitting attempt ranged from 1.537 to 2.627. Among the covariates considered, married status and nicotine dependence consistently showed significant impacts on quitting behavior.  Not being married and high nicotine dependence were strong risk factors for continued smoking behavior. 

      Adult smokers were most likely to quit smoking if their children asked them to quit. Information on reasons for quitting smoking may be instructive in the development of effective smoking cessation interventions.