Tobacco Use Smoking Status

Field Length: 1

Tobacco Use Smoking Status, effective 01/01/2022, captures the patient's past or current use of tobacco
(cigarette, cigar and/or pipe). (DO NOT record vaping devices)

Coding Instructions

1. Record the past or current use of tobacco

a. Tobacco use includes cigarette, cigar, and/or pipe

2. Do not record the patient’s past or current use of e-cigarette vaping devices

3. Assign code 1 when

a. The patient currently smokes OR

b. It is known that the patient stopped smoking within 30 days prior to diagnosis. The risks
associated with smoking decrease as the time from cessation increases which means a
person who stopped smoking within the last 30 days has the same risks as a current
smoker.

4. Assign code 2 when the medical record indicates

a. “Former smoker”

b. Patient has smoked tobacco in the past but does not smoke now
Note: If there is evidence in the medical record that the patient quit recently (within 30
days prior to diagnosis), assign code 1, current smoker. The 30 days prior information, if
available, is intended to differentiate patients who may have quit recently due to
symptoms that lead to a cancer diagnosis.

5. Assign code 3 when

a. The patient is noted to have smoked, but the current smoking status is not known

b. It is known that the patient “recently” stopped smoking but it is not known how long ago
the patient stopped smoking

6. Assign code 9 when

a. The medical record only indicates “No”

b. The record has no information about smoking status or history (e.g., pathology report
only)

c. It is documented that the patient uses or used smokeless or chewing tobacco or e-
cigarettes or vapes, but tobacco use is not mentioned