The consumption of tobacco has become by far the main avoidable cause of disease and premature death in Spain. There is a trend towards picking up the tobacco habit at an earlier age for both males and females. The number of women smokers is rising, particularly in the younger age groups (45% of women between the ages of 16 and 22 claim to be smokers) almost equalling male levels, which are remaining constant. The objective of this study is to profile current smokers, former smokers and never smokers among Spanish men and women, based on subject characteristics, and compare the profiles estimated for 1993, 1995 and 1997. We use a two-level nested logistic regression model to model the adoption and cessation processes of the smoking habit. The first level or branch discriminates between persons who have never been smokers and people who have been smokers or who are smokers at present. The second level is to discriminate between present smokers and former smokers (succeeded in the cessation process). The results show that the variables which define the profile of smokers include so-called stress-related factors, if the individual is separated or divorced, whether she is unemployed. The cessation process accelerates with age and is stimulated by the diagnosis of chronic disease, particularly heart disease. Our results, which are fairly stable from 1993 to 1997, should provide guidelines in the development of prevention and control of tobacco consumption health policies.