Nicotine regulation among heavy and light smokers in a non-stressful environment

The purpose of this study was to assess nicotine regulation among "heavy" and "light" smokers. Previous studies supporting the nicotine regulation model of smoking behavior have suggested that smokers compensate for a reduction in the amount of nicotine available in their cigarette by altering smoking frequency, puff volume, or other aspects of smoking topography. However, little is known about a smoker's decision to smoke a specific cigarette, and the concurrent changes in their blood nicotine. Manipulation of nicotine levels in the blood could play a critical role in smoking maintenance, by regulating the extent and quality of the CNS effects of smoking. In this study, 24 heavy and light smokers (cotinine above or below 260 ng/ml) smoked high- (1.0 mg) or low- (0.5 mg) dose nicotine cigarettes while watching non-stressful movies. Blood nicotine was assessed before and after smoking a preload and free operant cigarette. The results showed that blood nicotine levels after smoking the free operant cigarette were significantly more consistent (lower standard error) for the heavy smokers, following a low dose, as opposed to a high-dose preload. Light smokers showed a non-significant trend towards being more consistent when the high-dose nicotine preload was used. This suggests that heavy smokers may have maximized their dose of nicotine whenever available nicotine was in relatively short supply (low dose condition). However, light smokers may have minimized their exposure when available nicotine was relatively more plentiful (high dose condition).