Aubin et al. BMC Public Health 2010, 10:100 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/100 services, France ranked third on a tobacco control scale, behind England and Scotland [3]. This encouraging score was based on the existence of an official treatment policy, an officially identified person managing treat- ment service, a national quitline, a specialized and easily available treatment system with a network of tobacco treatment specialists[4], medications availability, and a package reimbursement. In France, tobacco use is estimated to cause every year about 60,000 premature deaths [5,6]. Smoking preva- lence is estimated to be 29.9% [6], 31% [7], or 34.2% [8], depending on the survey. The ITC Four-Country survey has shown that at least 36% of smokers make a quit attempt in a given year [9]. Even though one can antici- pate similar numbers in France, we haven’t found spon- taneous quitting attempt rates from French reports. Tobacco control has become a priority for the French government, who strengthened its anti-tobacco policy in the early 2000s[7]. Cigarette taxes have dramatically increased in 2003, and again in 2004. The leading smok- ing cessation drugs have been made available in France: nicotine replacement therapy (1985), bupropion (2001), and varenicline (2007). The reported survey took place a few months before the implementation of several conco- mitant changes in tobacco control in France, all in Feb- ruary 2007: the smoking ban in public indoors, a financial support of up to 50 Euros a year per quitter by National Health Services, and the launch of the new smoking cessation drug Varenicline. Little is still known about smokers’ behaviours in reaction to all these measures The objectives of this population-based epidemiologi- cal panel study were: To estimate smoking prevalence in France; To identify smokers’ profiles according to their perceptions, attitudes and behaviour in relation to smoking cessation; To determine predictive factors of quit attempts; To assess tobacco-related behaviours and their evolutions according to the changes in the smokers’ environments. This paper will present the study methodology and the main results obtained in the recruitment phase. Methods This study has been carried out by the Market Research Company TNS Healthcare Sofres. Although no nomina- tive data were recorded, the study was notified to the French personal data surveillance authorities (Commis- sion Nationale Informatique et Libertés) and was con- ducted according to the relevant national and European laws and consensus professional guidelines. Subjects Page 2 of 8 enrolled into the study were informed of the objectives of the study, the nature of transmitted data and their use, and their right to refuse. Study design This survey is to be performed in five waves, several months apart, for a total follow up of 24 months. The study design is shown in Figure 1. Wave 1 consisted in screening to select a national representative sample of smokers. A self-administered questionnaire was sent by mail to a national representa- tive sample of 6,032 subjects aged 15 years or more from September 28th to November 13th 2006. The four further waves were performed by phone (CATI system - Computer Assisted Telephone Inter- viewing). Data collection was performed by means of a questionnaire presented by TNS Sofres research inter- viewers. Smokers identified in Wave 1-screening were called in June 2007 (Wave 2), then in November 2007 (Wave 3), June 2008 (Wave 4), and finally November 2008 (Wave 5). Subjects The screening was conducted among the ACCESS SANTE permanent polling base, representative of the French population. Its representativeness and algorithms of sample selection are permanently verified by experts from the Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (INSEE) and EUROSTAT, and regular audits are performed. Individuals entered in this base are recruited in several ways (face-to-face interviews, phone calls or mailings), thus reducing the possible risk of selection bias which could be associated with a parti- cular methodology. Panellists participate in six to eight health surveys in a year and receive incentive services in return for their participation (no payment). The overall response rate is 70-75% for health surveys. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to a selected representative sample of 6,032 panellists aged 15 years and more, by using the quota method. Survey questionnaire Apart from socio-demographic information, the screen- ing questionnaire comprised 35 questions. The first question was aimed at establishing the smoking status: current smoker, ex-smoker, or never-smoker. For all participants, sociodemographics, risk factors and comor- bidities were explored. For working subjects, distinction was made between high and low qualification. For current smokers, questions were asked on smok- ing habits: daily or occasional use, number of daily cigarettes, duration of smoking, and age of first cigar- ette. The following conversion was established for non cigarette tobacco products: 1 cigarillo = 2 cigarettes; 1