How long does it take to get addicted to nicotine?

People who smoke regularly are often labeled “nicotine addicts” because they develop a strong attachment to nicotine, a substance in cigarettes that is addictive even though it is not highly harmful on its own.

The problem of nicotine dependence is growing, especially with illegal nicotine vaping products (NVPs) becoming more common. While these vapes do not contain the toxic chemicals found in traditional cigarettes, they are not suitable for individuals who have never smoked.

Relying on nicotine increases exposure to the dangerous chemicals in cigarettes. Nicotine enters the bloodstream rapidly along with other compounds, which strengthens its addictive effect. This is why many smokers, even those determined to quit, struggle to stop entirely.

Nicotine replacement therapies, such as patches, work differently. They deliver nicotine more slowly, taking around an hour to reach full levels, and are intended to help people gradually reduce their dependence without reinforcing addiction.

Chat to a prescriber
  Bulk-billed phone consultations
  TGA-authorised clinicians
  Nicotine vaping scripts available

Get started                                

In this article, we will examine how long it takes for someone to become addicted to nicotine.

How long does it take to get addicted to nicotine?

The FDA and other medical and scientific experts agree that nicotine is the primary reason smokers keep coming back to light a ciggie. Even in light of the health dangers, expenses, and other risks associated with smoking, nicotine cravings can cause the most motivated smoker to go back to smoking.

Nicotine withdrawals can happen within a few hours or days after you’ve stopped smoking a cigarette.

The highly addictive chemical, nicotine, releases dopamine in the body — the habit-forming component in our body.

Studies illustrate how nicotine makes it extremely easy to form habits around cigarettes.

In other studies, it was shown that young smokers who have quit for quite a while still experience “cue-elicited” cravings depending on their environment or peers — perhaps while in a party where there’s a smoking area.

While NRT products do contain nicotine, they do not help you form habits associated with lighting a cigarette. The slow nicotine absorption in your bloodstream won’t create the ‘hit’ with every puff, but it will reduce the brain’s buzzing for nicotine in your system.

E-cigarettes or NVPs, which have become famous nowadays and banned from sale outside of pharmacies, have great potential in helping motivated smokers quit. However, this is only possible if used under a professional’s guidance.

What does nicotine addiction look like? 

Cigarette addiction usually has two main components.

Cravings

Cravings are intense urges to smoke. They often appear when a smoker hasn’t had a cigarette for a while or during activities they normally associate with smoking. These urges are the biggest reason quitting can feel nearly impossible.

Even if you feel determined not to smoke in one situation, a different setting can trigger sudden, powerful cravings.

These are known as “cue-induced” cravings.

Roughly half of long-term smokers who quit report experiencing occasional cravings for years after giving up cigarettes.

Withdrawal

After stopping smoking, it is common to notice changes in mood and moments of confusion within the first day. Physical symptoms and increased appetite may also occur because the body no longer receives nicotine.

These reactions are completely normal. Withdrawal symptoms can range from manageable to intense, depending on the individual.

Nicotine can mimic other chemical messengers in the nervous system, so its absence temporarily disrupts normal signaling.

The good news is that the nervous system gradually readjusts over time. While it may take several months for withdrawal symptoms to fully subside, the body eventually returns to balance.

A new study also suggests that the brain has a form of ’emergency brake’ that helps you keep withdrawals at bay while you motivate yourself to quit smoking.

Aside from changing moods and brain fog, be aware that the following symptoms during nicotine withdrawal are all normal to see:

• Diarrhoea
• Arthritic pain
• Muscle pain
• Lower energy levels (or to do anything at all)
• Extreme hunger
• Temporary breathing difficulties
• Lack of strength
• Migraines

All of these symptoms quickly go away once a smoker gets through the first few weeks of quitting.

Nicotine is cleared by the body very quickly (although this too varies between people). Dependent smokers, then, experience a constant cycle of withdrawal and relief. This, in turn, increases the number of contexts in which a person smokes, leading to more possible “cue-elicited” cravings.

How do you deal with withdrawals?

The best way to deal with nicotine withdrawal (should you decide to quit) is to keep yourself busy. Most successful quitters mention forgetting about cigarettes whenever they did something they truly liked or loved.

Here’s a quick list of things you can do to help you manage your withdrawals and cravings:

• Nicotine replacement therapy
• Meditation
• New hobbies
• Working with a GP

The difference between smoking vs. vaping

The first difference is that e-cigarettes are not lit and do not contain tobacco. This is important because, in addition to disease-causing chemicals in cigarette smoke, some compounds may increase the addictive potential of nicotine.

The second is that a cigarette takes around 10 to 15 puffs to consume, but with an e-cigarette, you can take a couple of puffs and put it away.

A cigarette doses you with a certain amount of nicotine and does so in a short time. An e-cigarette, on the other hand, lets you use the amount you want and lets you spread it out over a more extended period.

Some research, while not conclusive, appears to bear this out. Despite delivering nicotine very efficiently, exclusive users of e-cigarettes report less dependence than when they were smoking.

The latest Cochrane Review found high-certainty evidence that NVPs are more effective than NRT in helping people stop smoking.

This research gives some cause for optimism for current smokers looking to use e-cigarettes to stop smoking. But it’s important to note that it does not necessarily mean that e-cigarettes are less likely to cause dependence in youth.

Read more on Prescribed Nicotine Vaping.

More About Vaping

Vaping is a second-line solution to stop smoking. After going through nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), your GP may prescribe nicotine vaping products (NVPs) as another solution to help you stop smoking.

More on vaping, there are two kinds of products available on the market – one that you should stick with, and another that’s already banned from being imported and sold in the country since March 2024.

Pharmacy Vapes

Pharmacy NVPs are built differently from the ones you’ll find sold in grocery stores, corner shops, and even local tobacconists. They’re also not sold in these establishments and are only available through a pharmacy.

They’re manufactured with the gold standard for medical products – GMP and ISO standards – and by medical professionals who are involved throughout the process of formulating the e-liquid (used for aerosolisation) and the compounds from the vapour or aerosol.

When you use NVPs from pharmacies, you can be sure they’re made to help you stop smoking for good.

Illegal NVPs

On the other hand, there are illegal disposable vaping products – the ones we’ve mentioned sold almost anywhere you look. These are imported from foreign manufacturers who do not comply to any standard except turning the biggest profit possible.

Furthermore, these NVPs contained nickel and lead and foreign saliva. It can also contain dangerous levels of nicotine (up to 357mg), which are masked by fruity and delectable flavours designed to keep customers hooked and buying.

Illegal disposable vapes are already banned from being imported and sold in the country as of 2024. The only way to use an NVP is to go through a smoking cessation programme with a GP, get a script if your GP deems it necessary, and purchase an NVP through your local pharmacy.

A better way of thinking about the risk of nicotine addiction

Suppose a person ends up with “full-blown” nicotine dependence because of the vicious cycle of craving and withdrawal that began with a single cigarette. Can’t we say that it started with that first cigarette?

Perhaps “how long does it take to get addicted to nicotine” is the wrong question to ask in the first place.

Instead, let’s try this: If you’re young and you try a cigarette, there’s a 50% chance that you are going to go on to become a daily smoker. If you’re young and try a vape, there’s a chance you’ll become dependent, even if the research says that it’s low as no one yet knows how high it is.

The best path though, is not to try anything that involves nicotine. Most smokers or ex-smokers would agree that it’s never worth taking the chance.

It’s very easy to form new habits, especially when it has a chemical that affects your dopamine system and makes you feel rewarded for doing nothing at all.

Want to talk to a professional about quitting? We can help!

Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around! 

If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to friendly Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good.

Link Reference

• https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/health-effects-tobacco-use/nicotine-why-tobacco-products-are-addictive
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10466701/
• https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-06-young-people-peers-elicit-greater.html
• https://www.cochrane.org/news/latest-cochrane-review-finds-high-certainty-evidence-nicotine-e-cigarettes-are-more-effective
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10466701/#CR41
• https://www.tga.gov.au/news/media-releases/new-regulation-vapes-starting-january-2024
• https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7zb37/we-got-your-vapes-tested-in-a-lab-heres-what-we-found
• https://www.bbc.com/news/health-65614078
• https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/08/paddy-gower-on-vaping-shocking-facts-uncovered-about-the-known-and-unknown-health-risks-of-e-liquids.html