Nicotine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found primarily in tobacco and in trace amounts in plants such as tomatoes and aubergines. It acts as a stimulant at low doses, promoting the release of dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline, while higher doses produce calming and muscle-relaxing effects. Widely regarded as one of the most addictive substances known, it is used both recreationally through tobacco products and therapeutically as a smoking cessation aid.
Nikotin molecular structure diagram from the DrugsPRO substance library.
Also known as: Nic, Tobacco alkaloid, Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist
Classification
Psychoactive: Depressant
Psychoactive: Nootropic
Psychoactive: Stimulant
Tag: Alkaloid
Tag: Common
Tag: Habit-Forming
Tag: Pyridine
Tag: Pyrrolidine
Tag: substituted pyrrolidine
Effects
Stimulation And Sedation
Abnormal Heartbeat
Vasoconstriction
Nausea
Stimulation
Loss Of Appetite
Thought Acceleration
Focus Enhancement
Memory Enhancement
Motivation Enhancement
Euphoria
Anxiety And Anxiety Suppression
Sexual Arousal
Appetite Suppression
Increased Libido
Disinhibition
Tactile Enhancement
Dehydration
Routes of Administration
Smoked
Dosage
Heavy: 2–4 mg
Light: 0.2 – 0.8 mg
Common: 0.8 – 1.5 mg
Strong: 1.5 – 3.5 mg
Threshold: 0.2–0.3 mg
Duration
Onset: 0-0.01 h
Comeup: 0-0 h
Peak: 0-0.1 h
Offset: 30-60 h
After Effects: 60-180 h
Total Duration: 10-30 h
Oral
Dosage
Heavy: 7 mg
Light: 0.2 – 3 mg
Common: 3 – 5 mg
Strong: 5 – 7 mg
Threshold: 0.2 mg
Duration
Onset: 0.33-0.67 h
Comeup: 1-1.5 h
Peak: 1-1.5 h
Offset: 2.5-3.5 h
After Effects: 2-4 h
Buccal
Dosage
Heavy: 6+ mg
Light: 0.2 – 2 mg
Common: 2 – 4 mg
Strong: 4 – 6 mg
Threshold: 0.2 mg
Duration
Onset: 0.033-0.25 h
Comeup: 0.1-0.2 h
Peak: 0.167-0.5 h
Offset: 1-2 h
After Effects: 2-6 h
Total Duration: 1-2 h
Vaporized
Dosage
Heavy: ~2–4 mg
Light: ~0.3–0.8 mg
Common: ~0.6–1.5 mg
Strong: ~1–2 mg
Threshold: ~0.2–0.3 mg
Duration
No data available for this section yet.
Insufflated
Dosage
Heavy: 3–8 mg
Light: 0.3–1.0 mg
Common: 0.8–2 mg
Strong: 1.5–4 mg
Threshold: 0.2–0.3 mg
Duration
No data available for this section yet.
Transdermal
Dosage
Heavy: ≥35 mg/day (not recommended)
Light: 7–14 mg/day
Common: 14–21 mg/day
Strong: 21–28 mg/day (medical supervision)
Threshold: 7 mg/day
Duration
Onset: 1-3 h
Peak: 3-24 h
Offset: 1-6 h
After Effects: 0-12 h
Total Duration: 16-24 h
Harm Reduction
Check interactions before mixing substances, pay attention to dose spacing and hydration, and treat all dosage guidance as approximate rather than guaranteed safe.
Sources
Substance data is aggregated from the following public harm-reduction and reference sources.
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Nicotine - DrugsPRO Substanzleitfaden
Nicotine: Nicotine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found primarily in tobacco and in trace amounts in plants such as tomatoes and aubergines. It acts as a stimulant at low doses, promoting the release of dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline, while higher doses produce calming and muscle-relaxing ef
