Nicotine Withdrawal starts in 30 minutes

A recent study published in Psychopharmacology found that nicotine withdrawal starts as soon as 30 minutes after the smoker's last cigarette.

This is much sooner than was previously thought, and represents a greater challenge to those seeking to stop smoking.

The study looked at 50 people who smoked a pack a day. 25 of them were told to continue smoking, while the other 25 were asked to stop smoking for four hours. Every 30 minutes, both groups were tested for signs of nicotine withdrawal.

After the first 30 minutes, those in the abstaining group reported greater cravings for cigarettes. After one hour, they reported greater anger than those in the smoking group. After the first three hours, those in the abstaining group felt sad, anxious, and had difficulty concentrating. They also did worse on tasks of sustained attention. Physiologically, their heart rates slowed within the first hour, which is another sign of nicotine withdrawal.

This is the first study demonstrating how early withdrawal symptoms can begin. This is important for those people who want to stop smoking, because they may need to seek alternatives to smoking sooner than they planned.

Smoking damages the surface and health of your skin by exposing it to smoke and free radicals. People who smoke for a long time tend to have duller complexions, more wrinkles, and less elasticity in their skin.