There is little data on the smoking behaviour of the population of Austria. The available information hardly goes beyond some figures on the number of regular smokers and the amount of cigarettes consumed per person per year. Equally, statutory anti-smoking measures in Austria lag considerably behind those of other countries, especially the U.S. This study aims to provide first insight into the smoking behaviour, the reasons for smoking and the attitudes towards anti-smoking measures of Austrian university students. For that purpose, we interviewed 1,910 students of four Austrian universities. The results revealed that around 34% of the students smoke, compared with 50% who have never smoked and 16% who are former smokers. University affiliation and parental smoking have a significant impact on the students' smoking behaviour: Medical students smoke the least, while students with at least one parent who is a smoker smoke more often. The major reasons given for smoking are habit and relaxation, reasons for not smoking are mainly health and cost of cigarettes. Current statutory anti-smoking measures, such as bans on smoking in public buildings and workplaces, are well accepted by smokers and non-smokers, while potential measures, such as a statutory ban on smoking in restaurants and bars or an increase in social health insurance contributions for smokers, would--as expected--be accepted only by non-smokers. Interestingly, both smokers and non-smokers object to a future statutory ban on smoking in public. (Contains 4 tables.)