Staff Reports are written by the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board, Cecil's online auxiliary. Though the SDSAB does its best, these columns are edited by Ed Zotti, not Cecil, so accuracywise you'd better keep your fingers crossed.
How Many MG Of Nicotine In A Cigarette. Cigarettes contain anywhere from 8 mg of nicotine up to 20 mg of nicotine. Most cigarettes are at the lower end of the spectrum, which puts the average amount on nicotine in one cigarette at 12 mg. While the total amount of nicotine in a cigarette may vary, the amount that you actually absorb is relatively constant.
Tar, a residue present in tobacco smoke, was found to contain at least a dozen carcinogens. When cigarette smoke is drawn into the mouth, throat, and lungs, the tar condenses to form brownish deposits on the walls of the airways. Nicotine is a toxic alkaloid that is both narcotic and addictive.