Nicotine

General 1: When do you feel the effects of nicotine?

Smoking nicotine is the fastest route of ingestion. The molecules of nicotine are absorbed into the blood via the lungs, and are then pumped through the heart to the brain. This takes 7 to 10 seconds.

If the nicotine is ingested by chewing or by applying transdermal nicotine patches, the drug molecules must first be absorbed through the oral mucous membranes or through the skin. These absorb the drug much more slowly than the lungs.

Mainly for that reason, the route via chewing or skin absorption takes more time than via smoking. Nicotine ingested through these routes must also pass through the pulmonary circulation (hard-lungs-heart) before reaching the brain.