Nicotine Urine Test in California

What this test measures

When a person uses tobacco or another nicotine product, the body breaks nicotine down into several metabolites. Cotinine is the most stable and widely measured of these, and it is excreted in urine. Because cotinine remains detectable longer than nicotine itself, a urine sample can show recent exposure even after the effects of nicotine have passed. The level depends on how much and how often nicotine was used.

The test uses a urine sample, which is collected at a laboratory or collection site. The laboratory screens for cotinine and may also report nicotine or trans-3-hydroxycotinine. Results are often reported against a cutoff, and some laboratories provide a quantitative value. The cutoff helps separate expected low-level background exposure from more substantial use.

A detectable result shows that nicotine entered the body recently, from any source. It does not identify whether the nicotine came from smoking, smokeless tobacco, or a cessation product, and it does not measure impairment. Interpretation depends on the cutoff and the reason for testing. A qualified healthcare provider explains what a result does and does not indicate.