Among 1036 employed women from 44 randomly selected factories in German-speaking Switzerland, there were exactly 100 smokers, i.e. barely 10%. Of 1260 similarly representative men from these same factories there were 14% exsmokers. All these persons had previously smoked more than 9 cigarettes daily. Most of the women who had stopped smoking had done so for fear of damaging their health and 9% had stopped during pregnancy. The factors slow reduction in smoking, doctor, spouse, sport, weight gain after stopping smoking and willpower were evaluated. This study permits conclusions on the pedagogic use of tobacco withdrawal cures and courses.