Introduction:
Tobacco use remains one of the most serious public health problems worldwide. This addiction continues to affect a significant proportion of the population, including healthcare workers.

Aim:
The objective of this study was to assess the level of motivation and readiness to quit smoking among healthcare students.

Material and methods:
The study involved 135 healthcare students who were tobacco smokers. An original questionnaire and Schneider’s Motivation Test for Smoking Cessation were used to conduct the study.

Results:
Low motivation to quit smoking was found in one-fifth of the study group (n = 28; 20.7%), while high motivation was found in the majority (n = 107; 79.3%). People under the age of 20 were more likely to have low motivation to quit smoking, while those over the age of 20 had high motivation (42.9% vs. 84.1%, p = 0.002). Respondents who smoked 5 to 10 cigarettes a day had a high level of motivation to fight their addiction, while those who smoked 10–15 cigarettes a day were more likely to have low motivation to quit smoking (61.7% vs. 35.7%, p = 0.031).

Conclusions:
The study group of healthcare students showed a high level of motivation to quit smoking. Significant factors differentiating the level of motivation were age, number of cigarettes smoked per day, and self-assessment of knowledge about the harmful effects of smoking. Interventions supporting healthcare students in quitting smoking and comprehensive education on nicotine dependence and smoking cessation methods should be considered.