Parekh TM, et al. - Using the population-based Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis to investigate factors correlated with former vs current smoking status. They also evaluated if these associations differed by race. They used logistic regression to calculate the OR of former smoking status vs current smoking status with risk factors of interest. During their lifetime, 16,463 participants reported smoking ≥ 100 cigarettes. Former smoker status was related to physical activity, adherence to a Mediterranean diet, daily television viewing time, and abstinence from alcohol use. In addition, male sex, higher education, and income of $35,000–$74,000 were linked to former-smoker status. Younger age, black race, single marital status, and being divorced or widowed were factors linked to lower odds of reporting former-smoker status. Significant interactions between race and alcohol use and dyslipidemia were observed. Specifically, black participants were more likely to report former-smoker status if they were abstinent from alcohol or had a history of dyslipidemia; those relationships were not statistically significant in white participants. Overall, the investigators suggested that efforts to promote the cessation of tobacco should consist of targeted behavioral interventions involving racial differences.