How long does nicotine remain in the body ?

Question

I gave up smoking nearly two weeks ago and I still feel the urge to smoke at least 5 or more times a day.

Answer 1

About three days. But the really hard part about quitting is the mental addiction.

Answer 2

It varies but, as an ex smoker I can tell you that it could be anything from 24 to 72 hours - average is 48!

The urge to smoke will be with you for a while yet - perhaps another week or two! Then it will subside!

Keep on with giving up - you will feel better soon - have you noticed food tastes better yet - if yes, then the worst is over and you are winning!

Don't give Gordon Brown the pleasure of getting your £4.50 tax per packet!

Answer 3

supposedly 3 days - thats the actual chemical addiction but what lingers is the habit, you will probably have triggers - coffee break, waiting for a bus, a stressful moment - whatever it was that made you reach for a cigarette and now when you do those things or feel those emotions you are reminded of a habit that you enjoyed and you miss it / crave it - these don't go away you have to recondition your mind to associate them with other things and in time you won't crave cigarettes so much. I gave up about 2 years ago and I still crave a smoke every so often but the difference is that I know I probably won't enjoy it now and its easier to resist. Good Luck with giving up - it does get easier just much slower than people realise.

Answer 4

This isn't nicotine...nicotine leaves the body roughly 3 days after quitting and the body begins to repair itself of the effects of it. However, the brain still believes the actions and triggers associated with smoking need to be implemented and thus you still 'crave' for a cigarette at certain times.

A smoker sets patterns for themselves during cigarette addiction...smoking when stressed, when having coffee, when on the computer, when driving...etc., etc. Each time one of these trigger actions is carried out, the craving for a cigarette to go along with the action kicks in.

This is why smoking cessation experts recommend that those stopping smoking change their patterns to try and avoid cravings. As a non-smoker, there are going to be a number of such craving periods because as you do something for the first time as a non smoker that before you did with a cigarette in hand, that action will trigger the craving response, the brain sees something missing and reminds you of it.

Hang in there...it does get easier and you will overcome the cravings...do things that you'd do without a cigarette, try to avoid things you used to do with a cigarette for the first few months at least, and you'll be on your way to eventually not even giving cigarettes a thought. Eventually you'll be carrying out both new and old patterns and your brain will stop pushing you to smoke.

Good luck!

Answer 5

It’s generally accepted that medically the nicotine takes only 72 to 96 hours (3-4 days) to leave the body, however, the mental and physical after effects can go on for weeks. For different people the amount of time taken for the nicotine to actually leave can vary.

Answer 6

It only remains about 48 hours...what you are fighting is the habit element of smoking, that takes longer to deal with! Try doing somrthing that keeps your hands busy. When I gave up I got out my knitting needles and knitted everyone I knew jumpers! lol
It worked and I havnt smoked for 8 years.

Answer 7

if you go to a health food store they usually have drops made out of lobelia and/or valerian that help a lot.

i quit 3 years ago and still get occasional urges -- especially at time when you have conditioned yourself to smoke. like waiting in traffic or you get fidgety for something to do.

Answer 8

if u smoke for 5 years....u need to stay 5 years without smoking inorder ur blood completely becomes clean

Answer 9

72 to 96 hours.

Answer 10

3 weeks according to the 'How to quit Smoking by Alan Carr...he was a 80 sticks a guy who quitted just like that...one more week to go and god luck .....

btw I hope to join you there soon....