It is commonly stated that nicotine remains in the tobacco user’s system from three to seven days after use (smoking) has ceased.
Recently I talked to someone who had quit smoking two years ago. He applied for the Non Smoker’s rate with his life insurance company. He told them up front that he had been a longtime smoker, but quit two years ago. The company had him take some tests (blood tests?) and denied him the non-smoker’s rate based on test results that showed residual evidence of smoking in his blood.
Anybody have any knowledge on this subject? Are there tests available that will detect previous smoking as long as two years ago? Was the company simply using the knowledge that he is an ex-smoker to deny the lower rate?
Any insights or out-cites will be appreciated.
My friend in his 40’s told the life insurance company that he “experimented” with pot in High School. They would not give him a non smoker rate and was soon flooded with stop smoking and drug rehabilitation stuff.
I do not believe there is a blood test for drugs that will give a positive even one year after use; maybe they found something else that they did not like???
There is a cotinine serum/urine assay available that detects the presence of a nicotine metabolite in a person’s system. Theoretically, no smoking = no cotinine in your system, although I’d bet that wouldn’t hold true if you got a lot of second hand smoke. The test is mostly used to quantify a smoker’s intake for research purposes; I’ve never heard of it being used as described, but I guess anything’s possible. If I recall there’s about a 24 hr half-life, so the assay should read positive for 4-5 days after your last smoke.