How Long Does Nicotine Stay in Your System? Lab Test Results (2024)

The time nicotine stays in your system depends on how long and how often you’re exposed to it. It also depends on whether you smoked it, chewed it, or inhaled it second-hand.

Whenever you smoke cigarettes or vape, chew tobacco, or inhale secondhand cigarette smoke, nicotine is absorbed into your bloodstream.

From there, enzymes in your liver break most of the nicotine down into cotinine. The amount of cotinine will increase with the amount of nicotine you ingest. These substances are eventually eliminated through your kidneys as urine.

Cotinine, nicotine’s main breakdown product, may be used to determine if someone was exposed to nicotine.

According to a 2016 review of literature, cotinine has high sensitivity and a longer half-life compared to other breakdown products of nicotine.

Testing for it can usually differentiate people who smoke cigarettes or vape nicotine from people who may have had indirect exposure.

How long it stays in your system will depend on how you ingested the nicotine and how frequently it is ingested.

Keep reading to learn how long nicotine can be detected in your urine, blood, saliva, and hair.

Cotinine has a half-life of about 16 hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, it may be as long as 40 hours, according to a 2016 research review.

A half-life refers to the number of hours before half of the cotinine will have left your system. However, tests for this metabolite can detect cotinine even after it has reached this point.

Concentrations of cotinine in urine are about 4 to 6 times higher than in blood plasma or saliva.

A 2019 study used cotinine urine tests on people preparing for bariatric surgery to determine adherence to pre-surgery instructions.

According to the study’s authors, the cotinine urine test provided high sensitivity and specificity for smoking in at least the previous 72 hours.

Another study from 2020 found that cotinine may still be detectable in urine for at least 8 weeks.

However, the way each person’s body metabolizes nicotine to create cotinine is different. Genetic differences can also affect the amount of time cotinine is detectable in your body.

According to research summarized by the CDC, non-Hispanic Black Americans may metabolize cotinine more slowly than non-Hispanic white Americans.

A positive urine test can depend on when you provide a urine sample relative to the last time you ingested nicotine. If you’re a current smoker, the test show urine cotinine levels of 1,000 to 8,000 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).

People who smoke but go 2 weeks without nicotine exposure before testing may show urine cotinine levels of less than 50 ng/mL.

Each lab may have different reference ranges for positivity, so it’s important to discuss the results with a doctor or technician.

People with heavy exposure to secondhand smoke may test at levels between 1 and 10 ng/mL.

Nicotine can be measured in your blood and saliva, but because cotinine has a longer half-life, testing for cotinine is typically preferred.

According to 2016 research, the half-life of cotinine is the same whether tested for in your blood plasma, urine, or saliva.

However, all of these molecules have different cut-off points for detection. Some sources estimate that it may be detectable at least 3 days after exposure.

A 2012 review that looked at methods for assessing environmental exposure to cigarette smoke found that blood cotinine levels may reach their half-life in less than 1 day.

Saliva and blood have a lower concentration of cotinine than urine. The amount of cotinine in your saliva or blood may reach cut-off levels for detection sooner than testing using urine samples.

The exact length of time that cotinine is detectable in your blood may vary depending on your genetic makeup and the amount of nicotine that you were exposed to.

Testing with blood may also be less sensitive than testing with urine. This could lead to false negatives or positives.

Nicotine in your blood can be detected using tests that are qualitative (whether or not nicotine is present) and quantitative (how much nicotine is present).

These tests can detect nicotine, cotinine, and another breakdown product called anabasine.

Traces of nicotine can generally be found in your hair follicles for up to weeks, months, or even years after your last exposure, according to a 2021 review of literature.

This can depend on the hair test administered as well as genetic factors.

But the authors of the review suggest that the results of hair testing may not correlate with blood testing. Hair testing may also show passive or environmental exposure to tobacco smoke.

Although hair testing is possible, it isn’t used as frequently as urine, saliva, or blood testing.

How long nicotine stays in your system can vary from person to person. Depending on your individual circumstances, nicotine may flush from your system sooner or even last longer.

According to 2010 research, the following factors may influence how long nicotine and its metabolites are detectable in your system:

  • Type of use. Different tobacco and nicotine products contain different amounts of nicotine.
  • Frequency of use or exposure. The amount of cotinine in your urine is correlated with your nicotine exposure.
  • Your genetic makeup. Each person metabolizes cotinine differently. According to the CDC, non-Hispanic Black people may metabolize cotinine more slowly than non-Hispanic white people.
  • Liver function. Cotinine is oxidized by the liver. Depending on your liver function, you may metabolize cotinine at a different rate.
  • Age. If you’re over 65 years old, your body may take longer to clear nicotine.
  • Diet and medication. Because clearing nicotine depends on your liver, the researchers predict that meals and medications may affect how your body processes nicotine.
  • Sex and hormonal differences. According to the 2010 research, which classified individuals as men and women, nicotine clearance and cotinine were higher in women. They also found that using oral contraceptives increased clearance as well.
  • Kidney function. Kidney failure can decrease the rate at which the body clears nicotine and cotinine.

The best way to clear nicotine out of your system is to avoid tobacco or nicotine products.

If you smoke, vape, or use other nicotine products, consider cutting back or quitting. This way, cells in your body can focus on breaking down nicotine and removing it.

There are several things you can do to speed up this process:

  • Drink water. When you drink more water, more nicotine is released from your body through urine.
  • Exercise. This increases your body’s metabolism rate, which may lead you to clear nicotine faster. Sweat released through exercise takes nicotine and its byproducts with it.
  • Eat foods rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants can help boost your body’s metabolism rate. Options can include oranges and carrots. These foods also contain compounds like fiber.

Nicotine is the primary addictive component in cigarettes and other tobacco products. It’s also commonly found in cigarettes or vapor fluids.

In small doses, nicotine can act as a stimulant, similar to coffee or cocaine. When ingested in larger quantities, nicotine becomes a relaxant. It may decrease tension and anxiety.

Ingesting smaller amounts of nicotine or abstaining from nicotine entirely can cause symptoms of withdrawal.

Symptoms of withdrawal can include:

  • intense cravings
  • increased hunger
  • fatigue
  • lack of concentration
  • headache
  • constipation
  • nausea
  • diarrhea
  • irritability
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • insomnia

Your symptoms may be most intense in the first few hours after your last use. These symptoms often lessen in severity after the first 3 days.

Your individual symptoms and their potential duration depend on several factors, including:

  • how long you’ve used tobacco or nicotine products
  • the type of products you used
  • how much you use on a day-to-day basis

If you would like to quit tobacco products or vaping nicotine, over-the-counter and prescription medications may help.

Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), such as nicotine patches, can help ease withdrawal symptoms as you decrease the amount of nicotine ingested over time.

According to Smokefree.gov, which was created by the National Cancer Institute, using an NRT doubles your chances of quitting completely.

If you opt to use an NRT, you’ll still have detectable amounts of nicotine in your body until you cease all nicotine exposure.

Combining an NRT with a nicotine patch may be more effective than either product on its own.

How do you flush nicotine out fast?

Staying hydrated and physically active can help boost your body’s metabolism, potentially clearing nicotine from your system faster. Eating antioxidant-rich foods may also help.

How long does a puff of nicotine stay in your system?

There isn’t a simple answer for this. It all depends on the tobacco or nicotine product used — whether you took a puff of a cigarette, spliff, cigar, or vape, for example.

A drug is considered eliminated from the body after 4–5 half-lives. If one cotinine half-life takes 16–40 hours, it stands to reason that the substance will be cleared from your system within 8–9 days.

Can your doctor tell if you vape?

A healthcare professional likely will not be able to tell if you vape — or what you vape — unless they’re conducting specific tests.

During a physical exam, for example, your clinician may check your lung capacity. Vaping, much like smoking, can affect your overall lung health.

They may also ask you questions about your tobacco and nicotine use to help determine the underlying cause reduced lung function or breathing changes.

Can doctors tell if you smoke from a blood test?

A healthcare professional won’t be able to tell if you smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products via standard blood testing.

But if your clinician recommends testing specifically to check for nicotine use, they will be able to tell.

If you smoke, traces of nicotine can be found in your hair, blood, urine, and saliva. It can be detected in your urine for at least 3 days after your exposure to nicotine and in your hair for weeks or more.

The best way to remove nicotine from your body is to avoid tobacco products altogether.

How Long Does Nicotine Stay in Your System? Lab Test Results (2024)

FAQs

How Long Does Nicotine Stay in Your System? Lab Test Results? ›

People also process nicotine differently depending on their genetics. Generally, nicotine will leave your blood within 1 to 3 days after you stop using tobacco, and cotinine will be gone after 1 to 10 days. Neither nicotine nor cotinine will be detectable in your urine after 3 to 4 days of stopping tobacco products.

Can doctors tell if you vape through a blood test? ›

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.

What is a passing nicotine level? ›

Cotinine is measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL): Cotinine levels in a nonsmoker are generally less than 10 ng/mL. Cotinine levels in a light smoker or someone exposed to secondhand smoke are 11 ng/mL to 30 ng/mL. Cotinine levels in a heavy smoker may be more than 500 ng/mL.

Is nicotine detectable in urine tests? ›

A nicotine test measures the level of nicotine—or the chemicals it produces, such as cotinine—in your blood or urine. It's usually done by testing a sample of your blood or urine. The test is used to see if you smoke or use other forms of tobacco. All forms of tobacco have nicotine.

How long can nicotine be detected in bloodwork? ›

People also process nicotine differently depending on their genetics. Generally, nicotine will leave your blood within 1 to 3 days after you stop using tobacco, and cotinine will be gone after 1 to 10 days. Neither nicotine nor cotinine will be detectable in your urine after 3 to 4 days of stopping tobacco products.

How to pass a blood test if you vape? ›

How do you pass a nicotine test if you vape? While you can tweak your daily routine a little to hasten nicotine detox, you still have to quit proactively – whether cigarette or vape – for at least two weeks to pass a nicotine test.

What drinks flush nicotine out of your system? ›

Nicotine is water-soluble, so drinking water will help flush out any lingering traces. Water helps flush nicotine and other chemicals out of your body. Therefore, drinking water in sufficient quantities is a must for every smoker. However, it will make you urinate more often.

How to remove cigarette tar from body? ›

Drink Lots Of Water

Water helps flush toxins from your body, including those found in cigarettes and tobacco products. Start drinking more water to help your body detox and eliminate as many toxins as possible. Some doctors recommend drinking hot tea or water.

How long does nicotine stay in your system after one hit? ›

Nicotine is typically only detectable in your bloodstream for a short amount of time (about one to three days), whereas its metabolites last in the body longer: up to ten days. In fact, after your final exposure to nicotine, about half of it is already broken down by the body within a matter of hours.

What is the cut-off for a cotinine test? ›

Quick Answers for Clinicians

In urine, the concentration of cotinine to distinguish smokers from nonsmokers is 100 ng/mL, although active smokers routinely have a cotinine concentration that exceeds 1,000 ng/mL. The positive cutoff for passive exposure is 2 ng/mL in serum and 20 ng/mL in urine.

Do employers test for nicotine? ›

Nicotine or cotinine testing may be required as part of a smoking cessation program, insurance medical exam, employment testing, or to qualify for a surgery or organ transplant.

Can doctors tell if you smoke occasionally? ›

Yes, your doctor can tell if you smoke occasionally by looking at medical tests that can detect nicotine in your blood, saliva, urine and hair. When you smoke or get exposed to secondhand smoke, the nicotine you inhale gets absorbed into your blood.

How long after quitting smoking does nicotine leave your body? ›

Within one day your bloodstream will be almost nicotine free, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood will have dropped, and oxygen will be reaching your heart and muscles more easily. Within one week your sense of taste and smell may have improved.

Does LabCorp test for nicotine? ›

737919: Nicotine/Cotinine, Screen and Confirmation, Urine | Labcorp.

How do they test for nicotine before surgery? ›

Testing options for cigarette smoking abstinence include urine or blood tests for cotinine (a metabolite of nicotine) or anabasine (a tobacco-specific biomarker) or an exhaled carbon monoxide test. It is well- known that patients using nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) test positive for cotinine.

What test detects vaping? ›

Urine tests are a very quick and reliable way to test for vapes containing Nicotine. Certain substances present in e-cigarettes, such as nicotine and its metabolites, can be detected in a urine test. These urine tests detect Cotinine a by metabolite of Nicotine which is excreted reliably in urine.

Does vaping affect your bloods? ›

2: Research suggests vaping is bad for your heart and lungs.

It raises your blood pressure and spikes your adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and the likelihood of having a heart attack.

Can doctors tell if you smoke during a checkup? ›

Yes, your doctor can tell if you smoke occasionally by looking at medical tests that can detect nicotine in your blood, saliva, urine and hair. When you smoke or get exposed to secondhand smoke, the nicotine you inhale gets absorbed into your blood.

What do they look for in a blood test? ›

A blood test can be used to: assess your general state of health. check if you have an infection. see how well certain organs, like the liver and kidneys, are working.

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