Individual nicotine requirements: the relationship between differences in nicotine intake and physiological response

Pharmacological reinforcement has been identified as a major factor in the maintenance of cigarette smoking. Smokers seem to seek an individually characteristic level of nicotine intake and adjust their smoking parameters in order to obtain this dose. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in nicotine intake and to relate these differences to the physiological effects of smoking. The effects of smoking was investigated among 18 male smokers on a normal smoking day and after a period of deprivation. On the basis of the butt-nicotine analysis performed on the cigarettes smoked in the deprivation condition the sample was divided into high and low nicotine intake groups. Heart rate, skin conductance, respiratory activity before, during and after smoking were recorded. Smoking topography and typology was also measured. The results showed that the two groups were effected differentially by smoking and by deprivation. Although they differed in basal heart rate levels the two groups achieved similar levels with smoking. The results pointed out that nicotine dosage and constitutional make-up may interact in determining the physiological effects produced.