How long does cotinine stay in urine after smoking?

If you smoke infrequently, cotinine will usually be present in your urine for about four days. With regular exposure to nicotine, cotinine may be detectable for up to three weeks after your last exposure.

Can you fail a cotinine test from secondhand smoke?

If you use nicotine replacement medicine , such as gum or a patch, the cotinine test will not give an accurate result. Breathing in secondhand smoke can also affect the result. If you haven’t smoked or been exposed to nicotine in 7 to 10 days, your cotinine levels start to return to a normal level.

Do employers test for cotinine?

Because the use of tobacco products can greatly affect the health of individuals, companies may use nicotine/cotinine testing to evaluate prospective employees for tobacco use. Many health and life insurance companies test applicants for nicotine or cotinine as well.

How do you measure cotinine levels?

Various methods are used to measure cotinine level in blood, saliva and urine such as high performance liquid chromatography, colorimetric assay, gas chromatography, NicAlert saliva test, etc.

What is a cotinine test for tobacco?

Cotinine (Urine) Test. This is a painless test used to detect an individual’s levels of exposure to tobacco and nicotine in the urine. The test samples can be obtained from the urine, blood, saliva and sometimes hair.

Do life insurance companies test for nicotine in the system?

While many people believe that life insurance companies test for nicotine in the system, the truth is that most choose the cotinine test for life insurance. What is a Cotinine Test? Cigarette Kills! Cotinine is a substance that is associated with nicotine and used to detect if the person is a smoker.

What is a cotinine urine test for life insurance?

The cotinine urine test for life insurance is the most common as the substance can be detected in this manner. However, some insurance companies may ask for blood or hair test to identify the content. Usually, hair or blood test is done if there is some doubt from the insurance company about your claims to being a non-smoker.

How much does a cotinine test cost in India?

Cotinine (Urine) Test. Average price range of the test is between Rs.150 to Rs.800 depending on the factors of city, quality and availablity.