Plasma nicotine levels in pipe smokers

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Abstract
The lower morbidity and mortality of pipe smokers compared with cigarette smokers may be due to different inhaling patterns of pipe smokers. Plasma nicotine levels were determined in 3 groups of pipe smokers: primary pipe smokers; persons who smoked pipes and cigarettes; and secondary pipe smokers, i.e., former cigarette smokers who smoked pipes only. Primary pipe smokers inhaled minimally, as evidenced by low plasma nicotine concentrations after pipe smoking. Persons who smoked cigarettes and pipes had high plasma nicotine levels after pipe smoking (mean, 22 ng/ml) and, hence, must have inhaled. Secondary pipe smokers (former cigarette smokers) had low levels of plasma nicotine (mean, 6 ng/ml), suggesting that not all cigarette smokers continued to inhale when converting to pipe smoking. Pipe smoking may be safer than cigarette smoking in certain individuals.

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