How long does nicotine stay in your system?

Whether you smoke cigarettes or vape e-cigarettes, you are ingesting nicotine.

Regardless, the addictive substance has been linked to a host of health problems, and experts say they still don’t fully understand the long-term side effects of vaping. Quitting isn’t always easy, but working with a licensed healthcare professional on a quitting plan, counseling, and even medication can help.

“The health benefits of quitting smoking begin within minutes, so it’s never too late to quit,” Alejandra Ellison-Barnes, MD, associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins Tobacco Treatment and Cancer Screening Clinic, tells USA TODAY.

For those who still smoke or vape, here’s what medical experts want you to know about nicotine intake duration.

How long does nicotine stay in your system?

It depends on a number of factors, including genetics and the amount ingested, but nicotine typically stays in your system for 80 to 100 hours. That’s about three to four days, says Benjamin Toll, Ph.D., co-director of the Medical University of South Carolina Lung Cancer Screening Program and director of the MUSC Health Tobacco Treatment Program.

“There’s no way to flush it out of your system any faster,” Toll says.

Are Zyn Sachets Bad For You? What Experts Want You to Know

Is vaping or smoking worse for the lungs?

Vaping poses fewer health risks than smoking. If someone is having trouble quitting smoking abruptly, switching to a nicotine vaping product would “dramatically reduce your exposure to these toxins until you’re ready to stop using nicotine altogether,” Tracy Smith, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Medical University of South Carolina Hollings Cancer Center, tells USA TODAY.

But that doesn’t mean it’s safe or good for you.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smokers are about 25 times more likely to develop lung cancer.

According to a 2020 study from Johns Hopkins Medicine, e-cigarette smoking has also been linked to chronic lung disease and asthma. Experts also point out that because vaping is a newer concept, there is still a lot they haven’t discovered.

“We don’t yet know all the effects associated with long-term use,” says Dr. Ellison-Barnes. “Also, we don’t always know what ingredients are in there that could cause health problems, because vaping products aren’t well regulated.”

Oops, smoking is cool again. Shouldn’t people know better these days?

In addition to lung health, research has shown that nicotine, found in both regular and e-cigarettes, increases blood pressure, heart rate, and therefore the risk of heart attack. According to the CDC, cigarette smokers are two to four times more likely to develop coronary heart disease and stroke.

“There is some short-term data that shows that people who switch completely from smoking cigarettes to vaping have improved lung function, but we expect the greatest improvements when they quit completely,” Smith said.