OBJECTIVES:

We examined tobacco use and cessation among a probability sample of urban men who have sex with men (MSM) living in 4 large US cities.

METHODS:

Of the 2402 men who were eligible for follow-up from a previously recruited probability sample, 1780 (74%) completed tobacco surveys between January and December 1999.

RESULTS:

Current smoking rates were higher for urban MSM (31.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI]=28.6%, 34.3%) than for men in the general population (24.7%; 95% CI=21.2%, 28.2%). Among MSM, 27% were former smokers. A complex set of sociodemographic, tobacco-related, and other factors were associated with cessation.

CONCLUSIONS:

Results support earlier reports that smoking rates are higher for MSM compared with men in the general population. Findings related to cessation underscore the need to target tobacco control efforts for MSM.