This is a really good question, and it really depends on a number of factors. One is that if you are using some kind of nicotine replacement to help you quit smoking, the nicotine is still in your system, even if you aren't actually smoking. What do you think is eliminating your cravings? If you want to get rid of nicotine for good, you have to quit using patches, gums and lozenges before  you will be rid of it from your body.

Unlike marijuana and other drugs that can linger in your bloodstream and urine for over a month, nicotine can be out of your bloodstream in a relatively short amount of time. In the brain, it takes about forty minutes from your last smoke and many of the effects can be gone within a few days. However, there is still nicotine present in other parts of your body. The drug can be in your fatty tissues, as well as your kidneys, and these effects will continue to be present as long as two to three weeks. A lot of this of course depends on you, how long you smoked, how much you weigh, and what kind of lifestyle you have, as well as how old you are.

In many cases professionals will tell you it doesn't matter how long it takes to eliminate nicotine from your body, only the first three days are really critical to you. This is the crucial time period when your cravings for nicotine will be at their worst, and it is within this period that your need to light up will be strongest. As more days pass, the less you will crave a cigarette, and the less time you spend around others who smoke, or environments where there is the smell of smoking the easier it will be.

There are things you can do to speed up the process of eliminating nicotine from your body. One of the best ways to get rid of nicotine is to drink a lot of fluids, more so than you may already drink. The faster nicotine is flushed out of your system, the less time you will have cravings. In most cases, people will need to have something in their mouth and food may taste better than it ever did while you were smoking. This is a critical time when people will tend to eat in order to try to curb their cravings, and you shouldn't do this. It will lead to excessive weight gain, and depression. If you must have something in your mouth, then chewing gum, or snacking on sunflower seeds can be a welcome alternative.

There is a great deal of information about the negative effects nicotine has on you, as well as what other ingredients in the smoke are bad for your health. This can include arsenic, formaldehyde, and even methane, just to name a few. These too will continue to be present in your body, even after your last light up. You can learn more about how you can flush nicotine and other toxins related to smoking out of your system. Before you change your diet or start any new exercise routine, you should always consult your doctor first.