How Long Does Nicotine Stay in Your System

Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are at their worst a few days to a couple of weeks after smoking. The first week is usually the most difficult, and symptoms gradually reduce over the following few weeks.

How long does nicotine stay in your system?

The safety and long-term health effects of using e-cigarettes or other vaping products still aren’t well known. In September 2019, federal and state health authorities began investigating an outbreak of a severe lung disease associated with e-cigarettes and other vaping products . We’re closely monitoring the situation and will update our content as soon as more information is available.

When people use tobacco products, some of the nicotine stays in their system after they quit smoking. Medical tests can detect nicotine in people’s urine, blood, saliva, hair, and nails.

Nicotine is the addictive substance in tobacco, cigarettes, and vapes or e-cigarettes.

When someone smokes a cigarette, their body absorbs up to 90 percent of the nicotine. Traces of nicotine will linger long after individuals no longer feel the effects.

In this article, we look at how long it takes for the body to remove nicotine, and whether it is possible to get nicotine out of your system faster.

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Two hours after ingesting nicotine, the body will have removed around half of the nicotine. This means that nicotine has a half-life of around 2 hours.

This short half-life means that the immediate effects of nicotine go away quickly, so people soon feel like they need another dose.

When nicotine enters the body, it is broken down into more than 20 different substances, including cotinine, anabasine, and nornicotine. People eventually excrete these by-products in their urine.

Doctors can use nicotine tests to measure levels of nicotine and its by-products in a person’s:

According to the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, it can take over 2 weeks for a person’s blood to reach the same cotinine levels as someone who does not use tobacco. It takes several more weeks for the urine levels to become very low.

Traces of nicotine may stay in the hair for longer, though people are rarely asked to do a hair test unless they are taking part in research.

The more someone smokes, and the higher the frequency of smoking, the longer nicotine takes to leave the body.

The exact length of time it takes for nicotine to clear differs between people :

• Nicotine may stay in the body for longer in adults aged over 65 years.
• Women tend to process nicotine more quickly than men, especially if they are taking birth control pills.
• The body will take longer to remove nicotine in people who have smoked more frequently and for longer.

The severity and timescale of physical withdrawal symptoms will vary, depending on how much an individual smokes.

A paper from 2010 suggests that people who smoke five or fewer cigarettes a day may not have intense physical symptoms because their bodies are less dependent on nicotine. However, they may still have emotional ties to smoking.

Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are at their worst a few days to a couple of weeks after smoking. The first week is usually the most difficult, and symptoms gradually reduce over the following few weeks.

The physical and psychological effects of nicotine withdrawal include:

• anxiety or stress
• irritability
• trouble sleeping
• depression
• restlessness
• difficulty focusing
• increased appetite

Once the physical symptoms are gone, and all nicotine has left a person’s body, they may still feel a psychological desire to smoke. Often, this is often because they are used to the habit of smoking.

The desire for nicotine may be worse in triggering situations. Examples of these may include times of stress or when having drinks with friends. Over time, these triggers become much less powerful.

Share on Pinterest Studies on inhaled nicotine levels from vapes are currently inconclusive.

Nicotine tests can also detect nicotine in the body when people have used an electronic cigarette or a vape.

Vaping is a relatively recent invention, and so little research has looked into its short- and long-term effects. Researchers do not yet know whether the body processes nicotine differently from cigarettes or vapes.

The current research has produced mixed results . Some studies say that vaping delivers less nicotine than cigarettes, while others say that the levels of cotinine and nicotine might be higher in people who use vapes.

Also, it is difficult to tell how much nicotine people inhale from vaping. This is because vape solutions contain different quantities of nicotine. Furthermore, labeling has shown inaccuracy with a -89 to 28 percent variance between the label and the actual nicotine content.

Researchers are continuing to study the following factors that may determine how much nicotine people ingest when using a vape or e-cigarette:

• The amount of nicotine in the vaping solution.
• The efficiency with which vaping devices deliver nicotine.
• Differences in how people use vaping devices, including frequency and length of inhalation.

Testing of people for nicotine is sometimes done for insurance or job-related reasons. Nicotine tests measure a person’s exposure to nicotine, and if they have been exposed, by how much. These tests look for traces of nicotine and other related substances, such as cotinine.

Cotinine is a more reliable measure of tobacco use because it stays in the body for much longer. The half-life of nicotine is 2 hours, while the half-life of cotinine is approximately 16 hours.

Testing can use the following different parts of the body for tissue samples:

The best way to pass a nicotine test is to avoid nicotine for up to 10 days before the test, as blood tests can still detect cotinine for 10 days.

There is no sure way to flush the body of nicotine quickly, but people may try maintaining a healthy lifestyle so that their body works efficiently.

The following methods may help clear nicotine from the body:

• Drink plenty of water to flush waste products from the kidneys and liver.
• Exercise to get the blood moving, boost circulation, and release waste products through sweat.
• Eat a healthful diet rich in antioxidants to help the body repair itself.

Some commercial products and herbal remedies claim to speed up the body’s ability to clear nicotine from the system, but regulators have not usually tested them scientifically.

The rate at which nicotine leaves the system is affected by:

• how much nicotine a person uses and how often
• how long a person has been using tobacco products
• the person’s overall health and age

It is not yet clear whether people who vape clear nicotine from their systems more rapidly than regular smokers.

Giving up nicotine can be difficult, but it is worth the challenge. The American Lung Association report that in 2015 there were 52.8 million former smokers, meaning these people no longer smoke. Hence, more people are enjoying the benefits of living a nicotine-free life every day.

Last medically reviewed on January 6, 2020

• Respiratory
• Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
• Smoking / Quit Smoking

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How Long Does Nicotine Stay in Your System?

Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.

Medically reviewed

Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more.

Armeen Poor, MD, is a board-certified pulmonologist and intensivist. He specializes in pulmonary health, critical care, and sleep medicine.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents

If you are applying for a new job or looking for life or health insurance, don’t be surprised if you have to take a drug test, which may include testing for nicotine. This makes it important to know how long nicotine stays in your system, which can vary from 24 hours to 90 days based on several factors (which we will discuss) and the type of test used.

In fact, smoke-free hiring practices have become increasingly common in the workplace. Depending on where you live, you may even legally be denied a job due to your nicotine habits.

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance found in all tobacco products, including cigarettes, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff. E-cigarettes and vapes contain nicotine as well. While nicotine is not considered a controlled substance, it is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 in the United States, with some states raising the minimum age to 21.

Your body breaks nicotine down into many chemicals, including cotinine , which can be detected in certain drug tests. Cotinine is only found in your body if you have processed nicotine and, in general, stays in the body longer than nicotine itself.

How Long Does Nicotine Stay in Your System?

• Urine: Three to 20 days
• Blood: 48 hours to 21 days
• Saliva: 24 hours to 14 days
• Hair: Up to 90 days

How Long Does It Take to Feel Effects?

Nicotine acts quickly in the body. After taking a puff from your cigarette, the substance enters the bloodstream and makes it to the brain within 20 seconds.

The amount of nicotine that enters the body varies based on how the drug is administered. For instance, chewing or snorting nicotine-containing products can cause more of the substance to be released than if it is smoked.

Nicotine is a stimulant. After it’s taken, people quickly experience a surge in adrenaline that causes blood pressure and heart rate to go up. Even though the substance actually increases central nervous system activity, smokers often experience paradoxical feelings of relaxation.

Nicotine also increases the levels of a brain chemical called dopamine. This can improve mood and increase feelings of pleasure.

How Long Does Nicotine Last?

Nicotine has a half-life of about two hours. A drug’s half-life is the amount of time it takes for half of the dosage administered to be eliminated from the body.

When nicotine is smoked as a cigarette or inhaled from another tobacco product, it is mostly absorbed through the lungs. Less often, nicotine is absorbed through mouth and throat membranes. If you chew tobacco or use nicotine gum, lozenges, or patches, nicotine can also be absorbed in your gastrointestinal tract or skin.

Nicotine is mainly metabolized in the liver, but also in the lungs and kidneys. It is primarily excreted by the kidneys via urine, with some nicotine being excreted in the feces. Nicotine can also be found in saliva and hair.

As your body metabolizes nicotine, liver enzymes break this drug down into metabolites that include cotinine. Nicotine tests usually look for cotinine rather than nicotine itself.

Urine

The amount of cotinine in your urine will vary depending on the amount and frequency of nicotine use. On average, nicotine shows in the urine for about three days. Although, regular smokers may have detectable levels for as long as 20 days. Urine tests can be done at home or in a lab, with results returned within 24 hours to five days.

Blood

Nicotine shows up in blood tests, as do its metabolites, including cotinine and anabasine . Nicotine itself may be present in the blood for only 48 hours, while cotinine may be detectable for up to three weeks. After blood is drawn in a lab, results can take from two to 10 days.

Saliva

Nicotine stays in your saliva for about 24 hours, making it detectable with saliva tests taken during this time. Cotinine can be detected for up to seven days after it was last used or up to 14 days in heavy smokers. To perform this test, a technician swabs the inside of your mouth and tests oral fluids for nicotine. Results can take 24 to 72 hours.

Dry mouth or excessive salivation are two issues that can sometimes pose problems with collecting a saliva sample.

Hair

As with other substances, hair follicle testing can detect nicotine for much longer periods of time. This method tends to be less common, however, because it is usually more expensive. The test requires the removal of a small amount of hair that is tested for repeated nicotine use over the last 90 days. Results typically take one to five days.

False Positive Testing

A compound called thiocyanate —which is found in some medications and foods such as broccoli, garlic, radishes, almonds, and cabbage—can result in a false positive blood test result. Vegetarians may have elevated levels of this substance in their blood due to increased consumption of thiocyanate-containing foods.

Exposure to secondhand smoke is usually not enough to trigger a false positive result. Although, being exposed to frequent or very high levels of secondhand smoke may cause someone to test positive for nicotine use.

One study involving 25 children who were living with a person who smokes found that all but one of the kids had a detectable cotinine level, with all of the children having a detectable level of nicotine on their hands.

Factors That Affect Detection Time

How long nicotine appears in your system at a detectable level depends largely on the type of test being used. And since each person’s body processes nicotine differently, it is nearly impossible to determine a timeframe of detection with 100% confidence.

Factors that can affect how quickly your body gets nicotine out of your system include:

• Age: As you get older, it becomes more difficult for your body to excrete nicotine. This enables it to stay in your system longer.
• Body mass: Nicotine can be stored in fatty tissue. So, the more body fat you have, the longer nicotine may be detectable in your body.
• Genetics: Research has found that a person’s genetic makeup can impact their nicotine metabolism rate.
• Hydration level: Drinking water can help speed up the secretion of nicotine.
• Level of physical activity: The skin helps regulate the excretion of metabolic waste products. So, with increased sweating during physical activity comes increased excretion rates.
• Type, frequency, and history of use: Nicotine accumulates in the body. The more you use, the longer it can take to leave.

Smoking vs. Vaping vs. Chewing

How nicotine is administered may have an impact on how much of it is delivered. One study that compared nicotine doses between heavy smokers and e-cigarette users found that vaping devices deliver nicotine at slightly lower levels than cigarettes.

Chew and dip tobacco, on the other hand, contains higher levels of nicotine than cigarettes. The exact amount absorbed (and therefore needs to be eliminated) can depend on the brand of tobacco, the acidity level of the product, and the amount chewed. Blood serum levels are about the same when comparing smokeless tobacco use to that of cigarettes.

How to Get Nicotine Out of Your System

The first step in getting nicotine out of your system and starting to detox from this substance is to completely stop using all products that contain it. The longer you keep using tobacco products, the longer the substance can be detected in your body.

Once you stop using nicotine, there are some steps you can take that may speed up how quickly the drug is excreted from your system.

• Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water can help remove nicotine and its metabolites from your body through urine.
• Eat nutritious foods. Sticking to a healthful diet that includes plenty of antioxidant-containing foods may speed up how quickly nicotine is removed from your system. Foods high in antioxidants include several fruits and vegetables, almonds, sunflower seeds, salmon, and eggs.
• Exercise. Regular physical activity can increase your metabolism and the rate at which the drug is processed and cleared from your body.

You may see products and herbal supplements marketed to speed up the nicotine elimination process. However, none of these have been verified or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Symptoms of Overdose

Ingesting too much nicotine can result in nicotine poisoning. Nicotine tests may be performed if nicotine poisoning is suspected. Symptoms of nicotine poisoning can include:

• Excessive salivation
• Elevated blood pressure
• Increase heart rate
• Rapid breathing
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stomachache
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Tremors
• Confusion

Most nicotine poisoning cases have traditionally involved young children who got their hands on nicotine gum or patches. Although most cases are still in kids, adult cases are also now being reported more often due to e-cigarette use.

A spill of electronic nicotine solution (e-juice) can cause nicotine to be absorbed into the skin, which can also lead to poisoning.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) recommends the following safety tips for users of e-cigarettes:

• Protect your skin when handling the products.
• Keep e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine out of the reach of children.
• Follow the disposal instructions on the label.
• If someone has been exposed, call 1-800-222-1222 immediately.

Getting Help

If you are worried about whether nicotine will show up in a drug test, it might be the perfect time to get serious about quitting. While there are no easy, pain-free ways to kick your nicotine habit, there are plenty of resources to help you develop a solid smoking cessation plan.

Because nicotine can lead to physical and psychological dependence, stopping your use of the substance can result in withdrawal. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms may include:

• Intense nicotine cravings
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Increased hunger
• Poor concentration
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Depression
• Anxiety

These symptoms can be intense at first but decline in severity after three to five days. There are a number of smoking cessation treatments that can help you get through the withdrawal period and improve long-term abstinence. Nicotine-replacement therapy, such as the nicotine patch, can help you slowly reduce your nicotine intake and ease withdrawal symptoms.

Talk to your doctor for advice and assistance if you are ready to give up tobacco. You can also visit Smokefree.gov for smoking cessation programs, apps, and other resources.

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Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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By Buddy T
Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.