en Meta-analysis Meta-analysis Systematic Review <strong>Background: </strong>Cigarette smoking is known as a gateway drug for illicit drug use in youth. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the college students in Iran.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Methods:</strong> We searched electronic databases including Scopus, Medline/PubMed, Google Scholar and Web of Science, and national databases such as Magiran, Scientific Information Database, Iranmedex, Medlib, Irandoc, and IranPsych from 1946 to 21st July 2018 without any language restriction using a proper search strategy. We used a random effect model to calculate the pooled prevalence of cigarette smoking in college students in Iran. Chi-square test and I² index were used to evaluate the heterogeneity between the studies. We used the meta-regression and subgroup analysis to assess the potential source of heterogeneity. Stata software, version 11 (StataCorp, TX) was used for all statistical analysis.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Results: </strong>We included 60 eligible articles in our study. The pooled prevalence of cigarette smoking at least once in the lifetime was 19% (95%CI: 17-22). The I² index indicated considerable between-study heterogeneity (I²=98%, p<0.001). The pooled prevalence of cigarette smoking at least once in the lifetime in males and females was 28% (95% CI: 23-34) and 9% (95% CI: 6-13), respectively. In multivariable meta-regression, a significant association was shown between the year of study (&beta;=-13.1, p=0.011) and sampling method (&beta;=-12.8 p=0.017) and daily use in the last month.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Conclusions: </strong>Increasing prevalence of smoking among Iranian university students is an important health priority. Increasing preventive and health education programs are recommended.<br> &nbsp; University students, Smoking, Tobacco, Meta-analysis 1137 1146 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2046-4&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Mahmoud Khodadost m.khodadost@behdasht.gov.ir 200319475328460062978 200319475328460062978 No Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, & Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Khadije Maajani khadije.maajaani@gmail.com 200319475328460062979 200319475328460062979 No Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Alireza Noroozi a.noroozi@yahoo.com 200319475328460062980 200319475328460062980 No Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), & Neuroscience and Addiction Studies Department, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine (SATiM), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Seyed Abbas Motevalian amotevalian@yahoo.com 200319475328460062981 200319475328460062981 No Research Center for Addiction and Risky Behaviors (ReCARB), Psychosocial Health Research Institute (PHRI), & Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Morteza Naserbakht mnaserbakht@gmail.com 200319475328460062982 200319475328460062982 No 7. Mental Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of medical sciences, Tehran, Iran Fatemeh Sarvi fatemehs73@gmail.com 200319475328460062983 200319475328460062983 No Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran Roohollah Seddigh samiray76@yahoo.com 200319475328460062984 200319475328460062984 No Research Center for Addiction and Risky Behaviors (ReCARB), Psychosocial Health Research Institute (PHRI), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Leila Jamshidi leila.jamshidi1396@gmail.com 200319475328460062985 200319475328460062985 No Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Office (SAPTO), Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME), Tehran, Iran Samira Yavari 200319475328460062986 200319475328460062986 No Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Office (SAPTO), Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME), Tehran, Iran Malihe Khoramdad m.khoramdad2016@gmail.com 200319475328460062987 200319475328460062987 No Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ebrahim Ghodusi ghoddous@yahoo.com 200319475328460062988 200319475328460062988 No 9. Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Office (SAPTO), Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME), Tehran, Iran Ahmad Hajebi hajebi.a@iums.ac.ir 200319475328460062989 200319475328460062989 Yes 6. Research Center for Addiction and Risky Behaviors (ReCARB), Psychosocial Health Research Institute (PHRI), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran