How Much Nicotine is in a Cigarette

Lots of people want to know how much nicotine a cigarette contains, and the reasons are plenty. I like to call cigarette a 'chemical volcano', because it is harmful and slow in its effect like a volcano. It then blasts slowly and silently when the victim of the volcano attack himself lights it with a lighter, and the smoke then enters his brain, resulting in slow death. Scary, right? There are many harmful chemicals in a cigarette, like nicotine, cyanide, acetone, lead, chloroform, carbon monoxide, arsenic, etc., the list is just too big. But among all these harmful chemicals in a cigarette, the tag for being the most harmful and also life-threatening goes to nicotine.

What is Nicotine?

Nicotine is naturally found in tobacco. One drop of purified nicotine on the tongue can kill a person. The concentrated form can be used as a potent insecticide. You can now definitely imagine what effect it must be causing on a smoker's body. It acts as a stimulant, and chewing or inhaling it makes people feel good and euphoric. Inhaling nicotine through a cigarette is the worst of all the addictions. Long back, people used to hail nicotine for its medicinal properties, however, its use was always controversial. There is an obvious relation between cancer and nicotine, and it is absolutely correct to call it slow poison. A normal sized cigarette contains a harmful percentage of nicotine, and smoking is the most common way of getting it into the body. It directly harms the nervous system when it enters the brain through the blood cells, so it is the root cause behind various diseases like cancer, heart, lung and liver disorders.

Nicotine in a Cigarette

The content of nicotine in a cigarette is generally measured in a unit called mg (milligram). The nicotine content varies as per the brand of cigarette. It has been found that an average sized cigarette in the US contains 9 mg of nicotine. But as the cigarette is burned and smoked by the person, out of this amount, only 1 mg or less than it is ingested into the person's body. This amount is not that dangerous, but if a person is a heavy smoker, the consequences can be fatal. The nicotine and other chemicals then enter the body in the form of smoke, and within a few seconds they are in the brain. It can also enter the body through the mucous lining of the mouth and the nose. It can also enter the body through the skin. One cigarette is definitely not going to cause permanent damage to the person, but the regular use of cigarettes can be detrimental. Smoking - it is easy to start but very difficult to leave. The amount differs as per the brands and amount of nicotine added. But generally, the percentage is around 2 to 3 percent (considering all the contents) or higher. Nicotine is an anti-depressant, and if taken in large doses, can lead to many harmful effects. Effects of nicotine include the following:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Increase in blood pressure
• Changes in the heart rate
• Narrowing of blood vessels
• Gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, flatulence and dyspepsia

So now you have answer to your question how much nicotine is in a cigarette. If you are a chain smoker, quit smoking for the best. Even if there are no visible side effects, remember that it is a slow poison, and you know what poison does to a living being.