Have you ever wondered how long does it take for nicotine to stay in your system after you smoke or vape? This is one of the questions that is used by individuals who are planning to quit or are taking a test.
Nicotine is not long-lasting as it appears quickly on your body, yet it is not rapid to leave your body. The time depends upon your habits, lifestyle, and health. This blog gives you answers to how long nicotine remains in your body, the drug tests that detect nicotine, and the experience of withdrawal.
How Long Does Nicotine Stay in Your System?
Nicotine does not generally stay long in your body. It depends on how frequently you use it. Nicotine takes one or three days to clear in light users. The heavy users can be slower as more nicotine and cotinin accumulate within the system.
The principal breakdown product of nicotine is cotinine, and it has a longer lifetime than nicotine itself. Cotinine can remain in your system for as long as 3 weeks. The answer to this lies with how you and your body use it.
How Long Can Blood Tests Detect Nicotine and Cotinine?
Nicotine penetrates your blood just a few seconds after you smoke or chew tobacco. Most people retain it in the blood for one to three days. In the case that you smoke regularly, traces can last up to ten days.
Blood tests are commonly performed to detect cotinine due to its ability to remain longer and produce more visible results. The amount of cotinine in your blood can indicate that you are a light user, heavy user, or that you have just quit. That is why doctors want to check nicotine with blood tests.
How long does nicotine stay in other parts?
- Urine: Nicotine remains in urine for 3 to 4 days in light users. It can last three weeks in heavy users, particularly when used on a daily basis. In the US, the most common form of nicotine testing is through urine.
- Saliva: Nicotine remains in saliva between 1 and 4 days. Saliva tests are a dependable method because cotinine may exist for as long as ten days. Saliva tests are done by many insurance companies to determine whether you smoke or not.
- Hair: Nicotine is the slowest to get out of hair. A hair test will appear used for months and in some cases, up to a year. Hair tests are not common, but highly effective in long-term detection.
How Long Does Nicotine Withdrawal Last?
Withdrawal symptoms of nicotine start immediately after stopping and last as long as several weeks. The timeline like this:
- Within 24 hours: You are anxious and irritated, and you are hungry.
- Day 2 to 3: This is characterized by a headache, anxiety, and insomnia.
- The first week: The most intense symptoms are observed, but you can already notice certain slight increases in energy.
- 2 to 4 weeks: The cravings become less common, but you still think about smoking.
- After 1 month: There is no longer a significant portion of physical symptoms, but there may still be instances of mental triggers in her daily life.
What are the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal?
- Cigarette or vape: You are experiencing a strong desire that is difficult to resist.
- Sleep disturbances: You are unable to sleep at night as your sleep pattern becomes disrupted.
- Irritable: Minor things can also annoy you.
- Hunger and weight gain: Due to the body seeking comfort, food seems better.
- Occasional headaches: Your brain gets used to less nicotine, and the headaches become frequent.
- Nervousness and anxiety: You may feel nervous without any apparent reason.
- Problems with focus and concentration: It becomes harder to remain focused on work.
- Restlessness: You are constantly moving and cannot sit anywhere.
- Low energy/ tiredness: You are finding your body exhausted as nicotine is not stimulating you anymore.
- Depression or low mood: You can be in a low or depressed mood as your brain corrects the chemical imbalances.
- Coughing and chest pain: As your lungs begin to clear out, you begin to cough temporarily.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness: There are individuals who experience a little lightheadedness during the initial days.
Are drug tests used for Nicotine tests?
There are drug tests that check for nicotine and cotinine. Most insurance providers and some companies test nicotine in the US, although most employers skip this test. These tests are used to test your health risks. Nicotine passes out of your system quickly, however, cotinine remains long. This is why labs give preference to cotinine testing. The cotinine levels show the amount and frequency of smoking or vaping. To pass a test, you must stop early enough before the date.
Which types of drug tests detect nicotine or cotinine?
The urine and blood are the most common tests. The reasons why urine tests are popular are due to their low cost and short time. Blood tests are highly accurate, but they are more expensive. Also, Saliva tests are simple, and they are frequently employed by insurance companies.
Hair tests are also rare and indicate nicotine consumption in the course of several months. There is a difference in the detection window of each test, and therefore, the kind of test is very important.
How accurate are nicotine tests?
The nicotine tests are very accurate. There are rare instances of incorrect results of urine and blood tests. Saliva analysis is also very good, although it might not detect light use among certain individuals. Hair tests are the best since they indicate long-term usage, but they are costly. Smoking or vaping is highly difficult to conceal on these tests.
See More: What is High Porosity Hair?
Level of Nicotine in Vapes and Cigarettes
The amount of nicotine also depends on the product. The various amounts are delivered by cigarettes, cigars, and vapes. Certain vapes contain higher amounts of nicotine than normal cigarettes. Flavored vapes are very common among those who use them. They contain a high concentration of nicotine and cause rapid addiction.
How much nicotine is in a vape?
To know about how much nicotine is in a vape, below are the various vapes with their nicotine presence it:
- A disposable vape may have the same amount of nicotine as one pack of cigarettes.
- Nicotine salt vapes deliver a better nicotine dose in a reduced duration of time to the bloodstream.
- JUUL pod-based vapes contain high-grade nicotine hits.
- Refillable vapes allow you to choose between using low or high nicotine values.
- Vape juices with flavors normally provoke the user to use them longer, hence leading to increased use.
- The nicotine-free vapes contain traces of nicotine that are hidden.
Cigars vs Cigarettes: Which contains more nicotine?
- Each cigarette typically has 8 to 20 mg of nicotine in it.
- Approximately 1mg per cigarette is absorbed by smokers during inhalation.
- One huge cigar can contain as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes.
- Cigars also emit nicotine at a slower rate but in significantly higher aggregate amounts.
- The smoking of cigarettes is done with a greater inhalation rate, providing quicker effects.
- Nicotine reaches the mouth lining while cigar users do not inhale.
On the whole, cigars are associated with greater exposure to nicotine as compared to cigarettes.
How long for nicotine to leave system?
Nicotine normally goes out of your body after three days. However, cotinine stays for a longer time. The length of stay of cotinine can be one to three weeks, based on the amount of smoking or vaping. Nicotine is cleared more rapidly in light users than in heavy users. It is also largely dependent on how you live.
Water consumption, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and exercise can accelerate the process. However, there is no immediate remedy for flushing out nicotine. To clean up, your body requires time and patience.
How to Quit Nicotine
- Have a quit date and be focused on your plan.
- Take nicotine replacement products in the form of gum, patches, or lozenges.
- Consume a lot of water to suppress hunger and keep your body hygienic.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and other encouraging factors that push you towards smoking.
- Do some exercises or something to keep your hands busy every day to cope with stress.
- Eat ready snacks to combat hunger without adding a lot of weight.
- Use mobile apps that follow up on your progress and provide support.
- Reward yourself weekly based on how you quit nicotine and motivate yourself.
Conclusion
Nicotine appears and disappears from your body very fast, but cotinine remains longer in your body and appears in tests. This will depend on your body and the amount of use. The withdrawal is not easy at the beginning, but it gets better with time and effort.
It is not easy to quit, but with the help of the therapies and support, you can break the habit. If you are going to quit, you should remember that every single day without smoking is beneficial to your health. The quicker you quit, the quicker your body begins to recover.
FAQs
What is the half-life of nicotine?
Its half-life is two hours. This implies that every two hours, your body reduces the level by half. However, nicotine as such is not the only issue. Cotinine is more long-lasting and more easily detected in testing.
Where does nicotine come from?
Nicotine is present in the tobacco plant. It is a natural killer of insects. Small quantities are also present in vegetables, such as tomatoes and potatoes, but such quantities are not harmful. It is only in tobacco that there is sufficient nicotine to cause human beings to be strongly addicted.
Is vaping without nicotine safe?
Vaping without nicotine lessens the chances of addiction. But it is not completely safe. There are still chemicals and flavours in vape juices that can do damage to your lungs. Not all vapes have zero traces of nicotine. You must be very attentive.
How long does it take to quit vaping?
Quitting vaping often takes several weeks before one feels normal. The majority of them go through two or four weeks of intense cravings. Emotional stimuli might be prolonged in particular cases of stress. You will feel good after one or two months with strong willpower and support.
You Might Also Like: Is Laser Skin Lightening Permanent?
