Study Finds Nicotine Withdrawal Starts Within First Half-Hour

A study published in Psychopharmacology has shown that increased nicotine cravings in smokers begin with in thirty minutes after smoking the last cigarette.

The study divided 50 pack-a-day smokers into two groups, the first of which was allowed to smoke at will for four hours while the second was asked to abstain for the time. Every half hour, both groups went through a series of tests.

Within half an hour, the abstaining group reported greater cigarette cravings, performed worse on tasks requiring attention, showed a slower heart rate and greater feelings of sadness and anxiety.

The study's lead author Thomas H. Brandon suggests that this withdrawal process not only makes quitting smoking difficult, but also fuels a smoker's drive to smoke every cigarrette.

"This study suggests that the typical smoker begins to feel somewhat out-of-sorts within an hour of his or her last cigarette...The study indicates that nicotine withdrawal is not only a barrier to quitting smoking, but that it likely plays a subtle role in the decision to smoke nearly every cigarette of the day."

Read more: Researchers Find Nicotine Withdrawal Begins Quickly