Nicotine Dependence Test — Free 8-Question Cigarette & Vape Self-Check

A free nicotine dependence self-check for cigarettes and vapes: cravings, the first smoke after waking, failed attempts to cut down, and withdrawal irritability over the past month. Eight questions, about three minutes, scored 0-12 for craving and habit and for control and withdrawal.

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What's included

Questions: 8 items
Price: Free
Areas measured: Cravings and Usage Habits · Difficulty Controlling Use and Withdrawal

When this check is useful

If you reach for a cigarette or vape within thirty minutes of waking, if coffee, meals, or drinks make your hand move without thinking, or if attempts to cut down have not lasted, it is time to take stock. This check divides nicotine dependence into two areas, craving and habit, and control problems and withdrawal, and asks how often each occurred over the past month. It applies equally to cigarettes and to liquid or heated-tobacco vapes.

It is especially useful if you are thinking about quitting but do not know where to start, if repeated failures have dented your confidence, if switching to vaping has actually increased how often you use, or if smoking has begun to weigh on your health, finances, or family relationships. The items were written by Soundary with reference to published nicotine dependence research; they are not a translation or adaptation of any standardized scale, and the result is a reference self-check rather than a medical diagnosis.

What to do with your result

Craving and habit, and control problems and withdrawal, each have four items scored 0-12: 0-2 is almost none, 3-5 mild, 6-8 noticeable, and 9-12 considerably high. If craving and habit is high, start by writing down the places, times, and situations that trigger the urge and changing them one at a time. If control and withdrawal is high, log your daily count and recognize that the irritability and restlessness when you hold off are your body's response to nicotine, not a lack of willpower.

If either area is 9 or above, or you have tried and failed several times on your own, consider a smoking cessation clinic, a quitline, or a psychiatrist, where nicotine replacement, medication, and counseling can be combined. Getting support raises success rates markedly compared with quitting alone. Recheck every four weeks around a quit attempt to watch how craving and withdrawal scores move, and pair it with stress, anxiety, and sleep self-checks to spot high-relapse periods in advance.

How scores are interpreted

Cravings and Usage Habits

This assesses the intensity of your cravings for cigarettes or e-cigarettes, as well as the extent of habits like your first morning smoke or automatically reaching for them in specific situations.

0–2pts · Minimal
You experienced almost no cravings for cigarettes or e-cigarettes. It would be good to maintain your current comfortable state.
3–5pts · Mild
It seems you occasionally have fleeting thoughts of wanting to smoke or vape. Noting down the situations that trigger these thoughts will make it easier to control before it becomes a solidified habit.
6–8pts · Moderate
Cravings occur quite frequently, and there is a pattern of automatically reaching for a smoke in specific situations. It may be helpful to change the places, times, or situations that act as smoking cues one by one.
9–12pts · Severe
Cravings are strong enough to frequently disrupt your daily routine. Rather than struggling alone, consulting with professionals at a smoking cessation clinic or a mental health clinic will make it much easier to find a solution. This result is for screening reference only and is not a diagnosis.

Difficulty Controlling Use and Withdrawal

This assesses the difficulty in sticking to your self-imposed limits, experiences of failed quit attempts, and withdrawal symptoms like irritability or restlessness when resisting the urge.

0–2pts · Minimal
It seems you have no significant difficulty controlling the amount, and almost no discomfort when resisting the urge.
3–5pts · Mild
It seems there were occasional moments when you smoked more than intended or found it hard to resist. Keeping a record of the number of cigarettes per day is a good way to notice changes.
6–8pts · Moderate
You frequently experience a gap between your intention to cut down and your actual use, and you tend to feel irritable or restless when resisting the urge. It would be beneficial to utilize resources like a quitline or a public health smoking cessation clinic.
9–12pts · Severe
Controlling your use is not going as planned, and discomfort from withdrawal is clearly present. This may be your body's reaction to nicotine rather than a matter of willpower, so we recommend consulting with a mental health professional or a smoking cessation clinic to explore medication and counseling support. This result is for screening reference only and is not a diagnosis.

Sample questions

1. I had such a strong craving for a cigarette or e-cigarette that it was difficult to concentrate on what I was doing.
2. I reached for a cigarette or e-cigarette within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning.
3. I automatically reached for a cigarette or e-cigarette in specific situations, such as when drinking coffee, after a meal, or while drinking alcohol.
4. I could not resist smoking or vaping even when I felt unwell or was in a place where it was difficult to do so.

Thinking about yourself over the past month (4 weeks), please choose the answer that best describes how often you experienced each item. There are no right or wrong answers. If you do not use cigarettes or e-cigarettes, you can answer 'Not at all' for most questions. Do not think too long; just answer comfortably with what comes to mind.

FAQ

How do I interpret my nicotine dependence score?

You answer 8 items on a 0-3 scale, and two areas, craving and habit, and control problems and withdrawal, each have four items scored 0-12. 0-2 is almost none, 3-5 mild, 6-8 noticeable, and 9-12 considerably high. Non-smokers mostly score near zero. The score is not a diagnosis but a gauge to inform a quit plan.

Is this the same as the Fagerström test?

No. The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence is a standard six-item instrument that scores dependence from cigarettes per day, time to first cigarette, and similar items. This check covers the same topic but uses items developed by Soundary as a reference self-check. It shares concepts such as morning smoking, craving, failed control, and withdrawal, but the items and bands differ, so do not compare the two scores directly.

Can vaping cause nicotine dependence too?

Yes. Both liquid and heated-tobacco vapes deliver nicotine, so craving, tolerance, and withdrawal develop in the same way. Because they have less odor and are easier to use indoors, the number of uses per day often rises. The items in this check ask about cigarettes and vapes together, so answer from your experience over the past month whatever product you use.

How do I start quitting, and when should I get professional help?

Set a quit date, list the situations that trigger the urge and prepare a substitute action for each, and tell people around you. If either area scores 9 or more, or you have failed several times alone, combining nicotine patches or gum, medication, and counseling through a cessation clinic, a quitline, or a psychiatrist raises your chances considerably. Recheck every four weeks to track the change.

Source

The items in this test are a self-check adaptation based on the original instrument and literature below: Self-check items composed by Soundary with reference to the constructs of nicotine dependence research (time to first cigarette, craving, failed control, withdrawal), including Heatherton, T. F., Kozlowski, L. T., Frecker, R. C., & Fagerström, K.-O. (1991). The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence: A revision of the Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire. British Journal of Addiction, 86(9), 1119–1127. Not a translation or adaptation of the Fagerström test or any standardized instrument; a screening tool for reference only.

This is a self-screening tool, not a medical diagnosis. If the result concerns you, please consult a mental health professional.