TUESDAY, Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Within about 30 minutes of a smoker's last cigarette, the first signs of nicotine withdrawal appear, a U.S. study finds.

The study included 50 people who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day. Half of them were told to continue smoking, while the other half were asked to abstain from smoking for four hours. Both groups were tested every 30 minutes for signs of nicotine withdrawal.

After the first half hour, the abstaining smokers reported greater cravings for cigarettes. After one hour, they reported greater anger than the smokers. Within the first three hours, the abstainers showed increases in anxiety, sadness and difficulty concentrating.

Within the first 30 minutes, the abstainers also did more poorly on a task that required sustained attention. Their heart rate also slowed within the first hour -- another symptom of nicotine withdrawal, the study said.

This is the first study to show how early withdrawal symptoms can begin, the researchers said. The findings were published in the current issue of Psychopharmacology.

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With 8 hours sleep a pack a day smoker smokes every 48 minutes. That's figuring they smoke right after waking up and light the last one 48 minutes before bedtime. It's a longer interval really as the average American sleeps only 7 hours a night, not 8.

Therefore, at the first 30 minute mark both groups should've exhibited identical symptoms as neither group had been deprived yet; not for at least another 18 minutes.

What they described as the first signs of nicotine withdrawal was in fact, not nicotine withdrawal.

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What they described as the first signs of nicotine withdrawal was in fact, not nicotine withdrawal.

What they described is a crock of bravo sierra.

Here's another gem from the same place...
They needed to do a study to figure this out. Love how they put smoking first...

Bad Habits May Run in the Family
Kids of smokers, drinkers especially prone to these behaviors, study finds


FRIDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Children with a parent who smokes, drinks heavily or uses marijuana are more likely to adopt these behaviors when they're teens or adults, U.S. research suggests.

Children of smokers are especially at risk, say a team from the University of Washington.

"If your parents were smokers, it is a double whammy because you are more likely to use drugs in general and even more likely to smoke cigarettes," study co-author Karl Hill, a research associate professor at the university's Social Development Research Group, said in a prepared statement.

"There is something about tobacco that if parents smoke, their kids are more likely to smoke. It may be that parents who smoke might leave cigarettes around where their children can see and get to them. Parents may not leave marijuana and alcohol around in the same way," Hill said.

The researchers tracked 808 people who were students when they were first recruited from Seattle elementary schools in 1985. Data was also collected from their parents and their children.

In addition to a family/substance abuse link, the researchers found familial links for child behavior problems such as conduct disorder (fighting, stealing); attention-deficit disorder (lack of focus, inability to sit still or maintain attention); and oppositional-defiant disorder (problems with authority).

"Children of smokers, heavy drinkers, or marijuana users are more likely to have behavior problems when they are young, and consequently more likely to have drug problems themselves as they get old. These children then grow up to be adult substance users, whose kids have behavior problems and the cycle is repeated," study author and research scientist Jennifer Bailey said in a prepared statement.

The study was published in the current issue of the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.

what a bunch of hogwash,, in the study,, more cherry picking to get the results they want isn't that how any study goes just to get a story.. I have five kids I am the smoker none of my kids smoke,,and they are all over 21,, ..my hubby and I are not drinker but my kids drink to socialize with their friends..

How many drugs are on the market to deal with each of the symptoms described in the original post?

Shows the real intent of the study in my opinion. These recurring symptoms will all later be treated by the medical profession with a dosage for each once the smokers quits.

The former smoker will be charged multiples of the cost of cigarettes in order to return to their own sense of what is normal. Each product will come with side effects that other products will be provided to deal with. In the long run smokers are better off with cigarettes.

They are initially cheaper and do not require multiple doctors visits.

Bruce is right on target. Just how many different meds does it take to make me the same "normal" person as who I am when I smoke? And, if I happen to actually have a particular medical condition that can be treated, I find a balance and life works. Then, I quit smoking and suddenly I need a whole lot more meds... with all those associated side effects.

Regarding the original study, I think that almost anyone's anecdotal experience shoots this theory full of holes.

On the occasions where I've attempted to quit or cut down, I noticed that as little as five cigarettes a day gave me no withdrawl symptoms. The many additional cigarettes I normally smoke, I smoke because I enjoy them.

Also, I've been forced, for years, to go two hours or more without a cigarette because of the scheduled breaks at workplaces. I can't say that I didn't start thinking that I'd like a cigarette after about 60 or 90 minutes, but I was easily able to get along.

30 minutes? Please!

Just knowing I will be entering the "no Smoking" section of the planet immediately calls for a cigarette. I spent many sleepless nights when called to jury duty.

I can go two hours without a cigarette, but I am only there in body, my mind shuts down. I worked for a company in the late 70's who were convinced that computers would die immediately from smoke. I knew this to be in error as I had permantly installed my ash try at my terminal for years.

When forced to work under these conditions I either fall asleep or become very agressive in trying to end the meeting. If the meeting continues I get very aggressive toward the participants. My mind does not work and my inhabitions disappear.

Regardless my only concern is to escape.

It usually akes me three months to build up to visiting non-smoking relatives and I keep the sessions short and to the point. Recovery usually takes days.

I use smoking as a device to combat ADD.

As a result I know there are drugs to treat my problem, but they cost 7 to tem times the cost of cigarettes.

When I was forced to work in a non-smoking enviroment and a space for smoking was provided I take my work into that space to accomplish anything.

When I applied for work in a company with a non-smoking enviroment I immediately told them I was not interested.

I am currently out of work, but refuse to work in a non-smoking enviroment.

Wow, Bruce. I don't want to show my age, but perhaps because I've had to step outside workplaces my whole smoking life, I'm more conditioned to going longer without. I am still a pretty heavy smoker.

I started working in an office in 1968, there was an ash tray on every desk regardless of it's owners habits. People walked the halls smoking. Witnin arms length was a telephone, an adding machine, my in/out box, and my ash tray. Most of the people working there smoked and most were healthy and happy. We worked from 7:30 AM to 10PM each weekday and half a day on saturday, as a norm. Some days, at the end of the month, I worked 24 hours doing the automated premonth automated accounting closing.

From there I went to work in the family business where there was about a third of the staff smoking. Still there was an ash tray on every desk and every other level surface.

I became an independant contractor in 1979 installing, training and supporting computer systems. It was a very rare occation when I did not smoke in offices while working. Ash trays were practically built into CRT displays.

Once the systems were installed I went home to support them. Sometimes as an indepandant and sometimes as an employee. I was only in a non-smoking enviroment when at the software vendor's offices and kept those visits to a minimum.

Once I remember I create quite a stir in the company. I was staying at the home of the principle, had not been able to smoke in the office, for the sake of the machines, and sitting in their living room. I picked up an marble object I saw as an ash tray, pulled out and smoked a cigarette. Nothing was said at the time by either principle, but was attacked by their daughter the next morning by their daughter for using her prized keep sake as an ash tray. It was the talk of the office, little did they know how many more times I smoked in the bathroom. I stayed at hotels after that whenever in town.

So there was a time when smoking whenever was taken for granted. I have never seen anyone keel over from tobacco smoke, let alone die from it. To me it is drinking water or coffee.

Being without the possibility is like needing to use the rest room and finding the door locked.

Can you imagine if you were on the 40th floor of a building and had to deficate in a designanted area outside the building?

The problem isn't can you smoke or not at a work place. The problem is that the owner is not "given" the right to decide. I know of places that were non-smoking long before the bans, small biz that continue to permit smoking (quietly) since the bans. Everyone would be better off if the sole requirement was that smoking policies be posted.

As for nicotine being addictive. Any habit can be considered addictive (as a behavior if no substance can be blamed). Coffee is definately more addictive than smoking IMHO. I quit smoking years ago. Without Big Pharma. Quitting the habit was more of a problem than quitting the "nicotine". When I had to quit drinking coffee (caffeine) for several months - that was really bad. All I could think of was getting well and being able to have a cup of java or a cola.

WOW gnatyo..........that was a great statement.

I can go far longer, with no problems, without nicotine (smoking) than I can with out caffeine.

When Pepsi came out with Slice in 1984 or 85 I was working at a radio station in Maryland. We were giving away 4 or 5 cases per hour on the air. The Pepsi truck showed up once a week and delivered the agreed upon amount of cases we were to give away during the promotion, and also about 10 cases for the staff.

It took us a week to figure out why we were all suffering horrendous headaches, near migraine level according to one gal who was a migraine sufferer. Caffeine withdrawl. Slice has no caffeine and we were used to drinking about 20 pots of coffee a day.

I have never gone back to my coffee consumption of those days, but I do like my caffeine in the morning.......

I knew Friday was going to be a bad day when I realized the reason my husband hadn't made coffee was because we were out of it.........it became worse when I realized there was no soda in the house. The day went downhill from there. The hurricane that was not a hurricane did some serious damage to certain parts of Virginia. Ernesto nailed us, but good.

I started smoking and drinking coffe when I was 21 in college. Smoking allowed me to put something in my mouth without calories and coffee to try to keep me awake while studying. For me they have always gone together, neither is the same if the other is not present.

I can not sleep at night without a cup of coffee before bed. I always travel with a carton of cigarettes and a coffe pot and coffee. My day begins with two of each. I always carry an alarm clock to insure I am up early enough to get a half hour for my ritual.

My son introduced me to Mountain Due recently. One can of it just before bed makes me sleep like a baby.

I have not traveled in years and based on current restrictions do not plan to again. I do not intend to give up either coffee or cigarettes while I am still breathing.

This reminds me to get a living will written stating that if I am restricted from smoking or coffee after a proposed medical intervention I would rather die immediately rather than a slow death through the interventions of others.

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Originally posted by Bruce:
I started smoking and drinking coffe when I was 21 in college. Smoking allowed me to put something in my mouth without calories and coffee to try to keep me awake while studying. For me they have always gone together, neither is the same if the other is not present.

I can not sleep at night without a cup of coffee before bed.

Bruce, I feel exactly like you. And it feels so good, I wouldn't want to change it.