PURPOSE: There is little information on cigarette use and smoking cessation in Asian Pacific Islanders. This study explored factors associated with tobacco use in the largest Asian American ethnic group - Chinese American men. METHODS: Chinese American men age 17 or older, recruited by convenience sampling, were interviewed by a male trilingual and bicultural interviewer. Openended, semistructured interviews were coded using PRECEDE framework under two categories: cigarette use and smoking cessation. FINDINGS: Smoking, favorably perceived and valued, plays an important role in Chinese society. Lack of appropriate information and some beliefs pose challenges to effective tobacco control. Participants expressed willingness to adhere to no smoking rules and regulation. Attitudes and perceptions in the U.S. towards cigarette smoking, which differ from those in China, reinforce attitudes more favorable to smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS: Themes elicited challenge mainstream smoking cessation approaches for Chinese American men. Further exploration of these results are needed to develop effective tobacco control in this and possibly other Asian American populations.