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How much nicotine before it becomes addictive

ChatGPT said:

Good question — the short answer is: even small amounts of nicotine can be addictive because of how quickly and powerfully it affects the brain.

Here’s a clearer picture:

🧠 How Nicotine Addiction Works

• When you inhale nicotine (through smoking or vaping), it reaches the brain within seconds.
• It stimulates the release of dopamine, a “reward” chemical that reinforces behaviour.
• The brain adapts — and starts craving repeated doses to maintain that feeling.

⚠️ How Much Is Addictive?

• There’s no strict “safe” threshold — because addiction depends on:
  • How quickly nicotine reaches the brain (faster = more addictive: smoking and vaping are faster than patches or gum)
  • Frequency of use (daily vs occasional)
  • Personal vulnerability (genetics, age, stress, mental health)
• Studies suggest:
  • Even 1–2 mg of nicotine absorbed per dose can begin to create dependence if used regularly.
  • For young people, even occasional use can trigger addiction because their brains are still developing and more sensitive.

🌍 Typical Doses

Product

Nicotine per use

1 cigarette

~1–2 mg absorbed

Standard vape puff

0.05–0.15 mg

20 puffs of a vape

~1–3 mg

⏳ How Quickly Does Addiction Start?

• For some people, a few days or weeks of casual smoking or vaping is enough to cause dependence.
• Young users are especially vulnerable — they can develop cravings after only a few experiences.

📌 Summary

There isn’t a magic number — but repeated small doses, even of a few mg total per day, can trigger addiction — especially with fast delivery (smoking or modern vapes).