Le Journal médical libanais. The Lebanese medical journal
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The number of deaths attributable to tobacco use is rising globally. Health professionals can help reduce tobacco use by providing advice to patients regarding smoking cessation. Very few studies have collected information on tobacco use and cessation counseling training among health professional students. The purpose of this paper is to examine these issues using data from the 2005 Lebanon Global Health Professions Student Survey (GHPSS). ⋯ Tobacco use (cigarettes and water-pipe) is high among third-year health professional students in Lebanon. Students are willing to provide smoking-cessation counseling but lack training. The Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education, and educational institutions in Lebanon should work together with other interested partners in developing, testing, and implementing successful patient cessation counseling training programs for health professionals.