In the described history, what is the patient's smoking status?

• A. Current smoker
• B. Former smoker
• C. Never smoked
• D. Second-hand smoker

Answer: (B)

Determining smoking status comes from identifying whether the patient currently smokes, used to smoke but quit, never smoked, or is only exposed to others’ smoke. In this case, the history indicates the patient used to smoke but has quit and does not currently smoke. That makes them a former smoker. The crucial clue is the explicit note of having ceased smoking; there’s no ongoing use reported. If the history had said the patient still smokes, it would be a current smoker, and if it said they have never smoked at all, it would be never smoker. If the patient doesn’t smoke but is exposed to tobacco smoke from others, that would represent secondhand exposure rather than smoking themselves.