NICOTINE FAQ

 Michael Murphy DVM, ABVT
Toxicology

QUESTION

For nicotine toxicity, are unsmoked cigarettes as toxic as the butts of smoked cigarettes? What is the toxic dose of cigarettes, smoked vs. unsmoked?

ANSWER

Yes, unsmoked cigarettes are as toxic as smoked. The minimal lethal dose of nicotine in dogs is reported to be 20 to 100 mg. (The weight of the dogs was not given.) Nicotine exposure of dogs and cats most commonly now occurs due to ingestion of tobacco products or products marketed to assist people to stop using tobacco products. The bioavailability of either after ingestion is variable so a specific toxic dose of either is difficult to give with certainty. Despite the numbers, a mid-sized dog ingesting a cigarette butt may warrant observation but may not commonly develop nicotinic signs. Nevertheless, the nicotine content of various products may be useful.

Cigarettes, cigars, snuff and chewing tobacco are common tobacco products. The nicotine content of tobacco products may vary, so these concentrations should be considered rough guides. “Normal” cigarettes may contain 10 to 30 mg of nicotine. The butt of a smoked cigarette may contain less than 7 mg. “Low” nicotine cigarettes may contain less than 10 mg nicotine. Cigars often have 15 to 40 mg of nicotine. Dry snuff may contain 10 to 15 mg of nicotine per gram of product. Chewing tobacco tends to have about 2.5 mg of nicotine per gram of dried material.

The nicotine content of products marketed to assist smokers to “quit” is known with greater certainty. These products generally come in the form of chewing gum or transdermal patches. The gums normally contain 2 mg of nicotine per piece of gum. The patches range from 7 to 52.5 mg of nicotine per patch. These products should not be ignored as a potential source of nicotine.