Cotinine or COT, is the first-stage metabolite of nicotine, a toxic alkaloid that produces stimulation of the automatic ganglia and central nervous system when in humans. The plasma half life of nicotine is approximately 60 minutes following inhalation of parenteral administration. Nicotine and continine are rapidly eliminated by the kidney: the window of detection for cotinine in urine at a cut-off 200ng/mL is expected to be up to 2-3 days after nicotine use.