Nicotine in the blood stream

[Mile High Mania]

Hey - some of you likely know if this is possible or not.

A guy I work with smokes from time to time. He is set to take a blood/urine test for a health policy and is afraid it will show up.

First off, does it show up in those tests ... how long does it take for it to get out of your system and can he do something to hide it.

I told him he's likely SOL... figured someone on here knew though.

[Mr. Laz]

nicotine doesn't stay very long ... 48 hours at the most i would think.

[jspchief]

For health insurance, or life insurance?

If he's a smoker, he should just be honest. It may save him money to lie now, but when his lies get him denied for the coverage when he actually needs it, it won't be worth it.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Um, how about telling the health person that he smokes from time to time? Honesty is usually the way to go.

[Mr. Laz]

Q. How long does nicotine stay in the bloodstream after you quit dipping skoal (smokeless tobacco)?


A. Nicotine is a very unstable drug. When a person uses tobacco (whether in cigarettes or in skoal), the body immediately breaks nicotine down into about 97 different metabolites, the most stable of which is cotinine. Cotinine stays in a person's system for a period of 2 to 4 days.

There are a number of factors that can affect these figures, including:

• the strength of the tobacco
• the quantity you used
• the frequency of your use
• your individual tolerance
• the presence of other drugs

Factors specific to you which will also affect its elimination include:

• your tolerance
• your sex and age
• your overall health & well-being
• your general metabolic state

These variables all interact to make it hard to accurately define a time when the nicotine will be out of your system.

For further information, please contact your local health practitioner or pathology laboratory.

[kaplin42]

And even if it did, this is for work right? Not life inusrance? Last time I checked, smoking is legal, unless of course you live in Cali like I do, then you can only do it in your closet, under a blanket, and with the lights turned out.

No, I'm not Bitter. :BS:

[Mile High Mania]

Yeah, I found lots of stuff on Google for him... even some realy trustworthy looking sites (sarcasm) that sell home testing stuff.

[NewChief]

Like others said, lying about this is a very risky thing to do. It will give the insurance company a reason to deny him coverage should he ever get lung cancer or be hospitalized for just about anything.

[Mile High Mania]

Crazy thing I found on google is smoking the occasional Cigar, maybe 1 a month would list you as a smoker.

[cdcox]

Crazy thing I found on google is smoking the occasional Cigar, maybe 1 a month would list you as a smoker.

My life insurance company (State Farm) defines you as a smoker if you have smoked in the last year. That is one reason I gave up the occasional cigar (didn't want to lie). The others were that the next day it seemed like the Polish Army had set up camp in my mouth and the craving I'd get for a cigar even weeks after I had smoked the last one. Thought it could be habit forming.

[StcChief]

Crazy thing I found on google is smoking the occasional Cigar, maybe 1 a month would list you as a smoker.

Geez.

I guess I became a smoker.

[mike_b_284]

I used to do underwriting interviews for prudential life insurance. If you have ever smoked, they consider you a smoker, and rate you accordingly. If you don't think you will test positive for cotinine never say you smoke to an insurance company. I would not smoke for a few days before applying. It sounds like a company health profile anyway which has nothing to do with insurance, my company does it for a heads up on blood pressure, blood sugar, cholestorol, etc. I never do it because I don't want to test positive for something I don't want the company to have record of. :bong:

[King_Chief_Fan]

And even if it did, this is for work right? Not life inusrance? Last time I checked, smoking is legal, unless of course you live in Cali like I do, then you can only do it in your closet, under a blanket, and with the lights turned out.

No, I'm not Bitter. :BS:

Not sure what the question is here, but if your question is about can an employer not hire a person because they are a smoker, the answer is yes. They can not hire you as the habit has known associated health risks that they do not want to experience through their insurance. Drives up the cost of insurance. I am o.k. with that, but, the people that eat more twinkies than smokers smoke cigarettes bother me more. Over weight and other unhealthy habits should be discriminated against as well. Not sure how you pull those off though.

[greg63]

Do they test for increased methane levels? :p :D


I do agree that honesty should be the order of the day.