Paced puffing as a method for administering fixed doses of nicotine

Abstract

Smokers' ability to regulate nicotine intake by varying topographical parameters such as depth of inhalation and number of puffs makes it difficult to administer standardized doses of nicotine as delivered from smoking. A number of studies have claimed to control these parameters without confirming the effectiveness of such procedures by measures of plasma nicotine. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether specifying onset and duration of each puff would result in accurate dosing. Plasma nicotine boosts for five "paced puffers" were compared across two sessions and with similar data for five "free smokers." Neither between-subject consistency nor within-subject reproducibility was improved by this paced puffing procedure, despite apparent topographical control.