Daily intake of nicotine during cigarette smoking

TLDR

The study estimated daily nicotine intake in 22 smokers by combining metabolic clearance after intravenous infusion with 24‑hour blood and urinary concentration measurements. Daily nicotine intake averaged 37.6 mg (range 10.5–78.6 mg) and correlated with cigarettes smoked per day (r = 0.59) but not with machine‑determined yield; intake per cigarette averaged 1.04 mg and did not correlate with machine yield, while men metabolized nicotine faster than women yet had similar intake. Published in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 1984, vol.

Abstract

Daily intake of nicotine in 22 subjects was estimated from metabolic clearance data obtained after intravenous infusion of nicotine and from blood and urinary nicotine concentration data obtained over 24 hr when the subjects were smoking cigarettes. Daily intake of nicotine averaged 37.6 mg (±17.7, SD) but varied widely among subjects (10.5 to 78.6 mg). Men metabolized nicotine faster than did women, but daily intake of nicotine did not differ. Intake correlated strongly with cigarettes smoked per day (r = 0.59) but not with machine-determined yield. Nicotine intake per cigarette averaged 1.04 mg (±0.36) but did not correlate with machine-determined yield. Correlations between several commonly used biochemical markers of tobacco smoke and nicotine intake were examined; the afternoon (4:00 P.M.) blood level of nicotine was the best marker. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1984) 35, 499–504; doi:10.1038/clpt.1984.67