How Long Does It Take for Nicotine to Leave Your Body?

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance found in tobacco products. It is one of the most common drugs used worldwide, and it can have a significant impact on your health.

Nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream through the lungs when you smoke or inhale secondhand smoke. It then travels to the brain, where it binds to receptors and causes the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasure and reward.

How Long Does It Take for Nicotine to Leave Your Body?

The half-life of nicotine is about 2 hours, which means that it takes about 2 hours for your body to eliminate half of the nicotine that you have consumed. However, the time it takes for nicotine to completely leave your body can vary depending on a number of factors, including:

How much nicotine you consume

How often you consume nicotine

Your age

Your weight

Your metabolism

General Timeline for Nicotine Elimination

Time Since Last Nicotine Consumption	Percentage of Nicotine Remaining in Body
1 hour	50%
2 hours	25%
4 hours	12.5%
8 hours	6.25%
12 hours	3.125%
24 hours	1.5625%

Factors that Affect How Long Nicotine Stays in Your Body

A number of factors can affect how long nicotine stays in your body, including:

Age: Nicotine is metabolized more slowly in older adults than in younger adults.

Weight: Nicotine is distributed throughout the body's tissues, so people who are overweight or obese may have higher levels of nicotine in their bodies than people who are thin.

Metabolism: People who have a fast metabolism will eliminate nicotine from their bodies more quickly than people who have a slow metabolism.

Other drugs: Some drugs, such as antidepressants and birth control pills, can slow down the metabolism of nicotine.

How Long Does It Take for Nicotine to Leave Your Body?