Cotinine (Nicotine) Drug Test

What Is Cotinine (Nicotine)?

Cotinine is the product produced by the body when nicotine enters its system, and the presence of cotinine can indicate the use of nicotine in a drug test. Nicotine is the drug itself, and is commonly associated with cigarettes. However, even before the introduction of cigarettes, it was consumed by pipe or cigar, chewed, or used in the form of smokeless tobacco known as "snuff." For centuries, the use of nicotine or tobacco was a staple in society. Throughout World War I, cigarettes were even praised for their ability to relax injured soldiers and help with managing the pain.

As time progressed, we learned more about nicotine as an addictive substance, its ability to create addiction to tobacco products with thousands of dangerous chemicals, and how people may be exposed to these chemicals even if they are nonsmokers. Our knowledge of the harmful effects of tobacco products expanded, and regulations went into place to reduce the risks of ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke, or secondhand smoke). Advertising tobacco or cigarettes was banned, and pop culture began to encourage a smoke-free lifestyle, as portrayed in popular tv show episodes like Friends's "The One with the Hypnosis Tape" and Seinfeld's "The Abstinence." Today, employers, family, or friends may choose to get a cotinine or nicotine drug test in order to protect the health and safety of themselves or others.

Popular Nicotine Street Names:

Many of the common street names for nicotine are associated with the tobacco products rather than nicotine alone. Some common names include:

Intended Use and Effects:

Nicotine may be used in NRTs (Nicotine Replacement Therapies) in order to help a person quit smoking or using tobacco products with minimal withdrawal symptoms. The FDA has approved a variety of options for NRTs, including patches, gums, sprays, and lozenges.

Nicotine is an addictive substance, and has proven to be even more addictive for younger people. Nicotine use can result in side effects. Some of these include:

Too much nicotine can result in more severe side effects, and can be fatal for adults and children. In adolescents, brain development may also be negatively impacted. Since nicotine is often used in the form of tobacco products, more severe health effects may occur from the exposure to thousands of dangerous chemicals. Some of these include bronchitis, cancer, asthma, yellowing of teeth and bad breath, COPD, heart disease, and many more. The CDC states that "Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ system of the body. It is the leading cause of preventable death."