EFFECTS OF SMOKING ABSTINENCE AND NICOTINE ABSTINENCE ON HEART-RATE, ACTIVITY AND CIGARETTE CRAVING UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS

In a field study heart rate, activity, cigarette consumption, craving for cigarettes, saliva cotinine and subjective ratings were assessed i n 12 female subjects, smoking medium tar/medium nicotine cigarettes (T N). The habituated cigarettes were compared with a nearly nicotine-fre e/medium tar (0.08 mg/9.3 mg) cigarette (Tn) and with abstinence. Two recording periods of 3 days each were conducted in two consecutive wee ks. Heart rate was highest with the TN cigarettes, 8 bpm lower on abst inence days and in between with the Tn cigarettes. A characteristic in crease in heart rate and activity before cigarette lighting appeared w ith the TN and the Tn cigarettes and with button pressing indicating s moking desire on abstinence days. This response is attributed to an an ticipative activation preceding lighting a cigarette. Subjective ratin gs assessing the craving to smoke differed between abstinence and the smoking condition but not between the two cigarette types, whereas sal iva cotinine was significantly higher with the TN than with the Tn cig arettes or abstinence. Cigarette consumption was similar with both cig arette types, but taste and strength were rated better for the TN than the Tn cigarettes. It is concluded that heart rate and saliva cotinin e depend on the amount of nicotine absorbed, whereas subjective cravin g is reduced by smoking independently of the actual nicotine yield of the cigarette.