The pharmacokinetics of nicotine delivery is a major factor in producing the adverse health related effects of tobacco smoking. Tobacco is smoked to produce pleasurable effects, however, tobacco smoke contains over 4000 compounds other than nicotine and it is the absorption of these toxic and carcinogenic compounds that lead to the adverse health related effects of smoking. The rapid absorption of nicotine from tobacco smoke in the lungs results in increased nicotine levels in blood and brain within 8–20 seconds. This allows the smoker precise dose titration. It is the more rapid and higher blood and brain levels of nicotine following smoking tobacco that relate to its addictive properties. Other forms of non-tobacco nicotine delivery that do not deliver toxic and carcinogenic compounds and produce a smaller and slower rise in blood and brain nicotine have not been reported to be addictive or to convey the adverse medical consequences of tobacco smoking.