Nicotine Dependence Test (Fagerstrom-Based): Your Cigarette and Vape Score
This nicotine dependence test adapts the well-known Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence for both cigarettes and vapes, plus a second set of questions on craving and control. Get an instant score, no moralizing, and real quitting options.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
Nicotine Dependence Test (Fagerstrom-Based) is a free, confidential 12-question self-assessment, adapted from the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). It takes about 6 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 4 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
How physically dependent you are, and how much craving runs the show
Nicotine dependence has a physical side, how quickly withdrawal kicks in and how much of your day revolves around use, and a craving side, how hard it is to resist and how automatic it has become. This test looks at both, adapted for people who smoke, vape, or both.
Fagerstrom-based dependence items
Six questions adapted from the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, covering how soon you use after waking, difficulty going without it, your heaviest-to-give-up use, daily amount, morning-heavy use, and using even when sick.
The same point structure as the original
The published Fagerstrom point structure is kept: two questions scored 0 to 3 and four scored 0 to 1, for a total from 0 to 10, read against a commonly used four-band read of that range, explained honestly rather than presented as a single official standard.
Craving and control, separately
Six original questions on how strong cravings feel and how much control you have day to day, since two people with the same physical dependence score can experience very different levels of daily struggle.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Based on the Fagerstrom structure and scoring | Rarely | Yes, adapted, with the bands explained honestly |
| Covers vaping, not just cigarettes | Rarely | Yes, both included |
| Separates physical dependence from craving | No | Yes, two sections |
| No moralizing or shame | Rarely | Yes, throughout |
| Clinician-reviewed interpretation | Rarely | Yes, clinician reviewed |
| Optional in-depth personalized report | No | Yes, written to your exact scores |
| Answers stay on your device | Often tracked | Scored in your browser; we only receive anonymous completion counts unless you ask for a PDF or report |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–10 in total. Your result falls into one of 4 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | Low dependence | Your score falls in the low dependence range. Nicotine does not appear to have a strong physical grip on your daily routine right now. |
| 3–4 | Low to moderate dependence | Your score falls in the low to moderate dependence range. There is a real but manageable pull here. |
| 5–7 | Moderate dependence | Your score falls in the moderate dependence range. Nicotine plays a fairly consistent role in your day. |
| 8–10 | High dependence | Your score falls in the high dependence range. Nicotine appears to have a strong hold on your daily routine. |
Why This Test Covers Cigarettes and Vapes Together
The original Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (Heatherton et al., 1991) was written specifically for cigarette smokers, asking about cigarettes per day and the classic pack-and-lighter habits of smoking. Vaping delivers nicotine differently, no fixed cigarette count, no ash, often used more continuously throughout the day, so researchers have developed adapted versions of the same core questions for e-cigarette users, following the same logic: how soon after waking, how hard to go without, and how much daily use.
This page adapts the six core Fagerstrom questions in fresh wording that works whether you smoke, vape, or do both, while keeping the same 0 to 3 and 0 to 1 point structure. If you use both cigarettes and vapes, answer based on whichever pattern feels most true to your overall nicotine use, or focus on the product you use most.
This is an adaptation, not the original validated instrument, since the wording has changed to fit both products. The structure and scoring are kept faithful to the source, but treat this as an informative estimate rather than a clinical score.
What Nicotine Dependence Actually Involves
Nicotine reaches the brain within about 10 seconds of inhaling and binds to receptors that trigger a release of dopamine, which is part of why the habit forms so quickly and feels so rewarding in the moment. Regular use leads to tolerance, needing more to get the same effect, and to withdrawal, irritability, difficulty concentrating, increased appetite, and strong cravings that typically peak within the first few days of quitting and fade over several weeks.
None of this reflects a lack of willpower. Nicotine is one of the more physically addictive substances people use regularly, which is exactly why effective quitting methods lean on more than willpower alone, combining medication or nicotine replacement with behavioral strategies and support.
Quitting: What Actually Works
The most effective approaches combine a quit medication or nicotine replacement therapy, patches, gum, lozenges, or prescription medications like varenicline, with some form of behavioral support, whether that is a quitline, an app, or counseling. Combining medication with support roughly doubles quit rates compared to trying alone, according to clinical guidelines. Setting a quit date, removing cigarettes or vapes and related items from your space, and planning specifically for your highest-risk moments, like your first hour awake or times when you're stressed, all improve the odds.
In the US, calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW connects you to your state's free quitline, which offers coaching and, in many states, free nicotine replacement products. Relapse is common and does not mean quitting failed permanently; most people who eventually quit for good have tried more than once, and each attempt teaches you something about your own triggers.
Methodology & sources
The six items in Part 1 are adapted from the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND; Heatherton et al., 1991), a widely used revision of the original Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire. The wording has been rewritten in fresh language covering both cigarettes and vapes, since the original instrument's wording is specific to cigarettes and researchers in the e-cigarette adaptation literature have developed similar item rewrites for vaping. The published point structure is kept exactly: two items scored 0 to 3 (time to first use, typical daily amount) and four items scored 0 to 1 (difficulty refraining, hardest cigarette or vape to give up, morning-heavy use, using while ill), for a total from 0 to 10.
This page groups the 0 to 10 total into four bands, 0 to 2 low dependence, 3 to 4 low to moderate dependence, 5 to 7 moderate dependence, and 8 to 10 high dependence. These are a commonly used read of the FTND score, not a single official standard: other sources band the same 0 to 10 range differently, for example a five-band version (very low, low, moderate, high, very high) used by some university health services. Because the item wording is adapted rather than verbatim, this section is not the validated FTND itself, and results should be read as an informative estimate rather than a validated severity classification. Part 2, the six craving and control items, is original content written for this page and is not part of the Fagerstrom instrument. This is a screening tool for education and self-reflection, not a diagnosis; a healthcare provider can assess nicotine dependence and appropriate treatment more precisely.
References
- Heatherton TF, Kozlowski LT, Frecker RC, Fagerstrom KO. The Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence: a revision of the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire. Br J Addict. 1991;86(9):1119-1127.
- Foulds J, Veldheer S, Yingst J, Hrabovsky S, Wilson SJ, Nichols TT, Eissenberg T. Development of a questionnaire for assessing dependence on electronic cigarettes among a large sample of ex-smoking e-cigarette users. Nicotine Tob Res. 2015;17(2):186-192.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How to Quit Smoking. cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/index.html
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 23). Nicotine Dependence Test (Fagerstrom-Based). Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/nicotine
Nicotine Dependence Test (Fagerstrom-Based) FAQ
What is the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence?
The FTND is a well-known 6-item questionnaire developed by Heatherton and colleagues in 1991 to measure physical dependence on nicotine from cigarette smoking. This test adapts its six questions in fresh wording that also covers vaping, keeping the same 0 to 10 point structure. The four severity bands shown here are a commonly used read of that range rather than a single official standard; other sources band the same score differently.
Is this the real, validated Fagerstrom Test?
No. The wording has been adapted to cover both cigarettes and vapes, since the original instrument is written specifically for cigarette smoking. The scoring structure, two items worth 0 to 3 and four items worth 0 to 1, is kept the same, but the severity bands are a commonly used read of the resulting score rather than a single official standard, and this is an adaptation, not the verbatim validated instrument.
What does a high score mean?
A score of 8 to 10 falls in the high dependence range used in the FTND research, generally meaning nicotine plays a strong role in your daily routine and quitting on your own may be harder without support. It is not a diagnosis, but it is a good reason to consider combining medication or nicotine replacement with some form of behavioral support.
Is vaping as addictive as smoking cigarettes?
Vapes can deliver nicotine just as effectively as cigarettes, and some deliver it faster or in higher concentrations, so vaping dependence can be just as real. This test is built to capture that, since the adapted wording applies the same underlying questions to both products.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. It is an educational screening for self-reflection only. A healthcare provider can assess nicotine dependence and recommend medication or nicotine replacement options tailored to your situation.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. The test runs and is scored in your browser, and your individual answers are never sent to us. We count completions anonymously, and if you request the free PDF or a report we receive your summary scores with the email you give us, never your answers. No account is needed.
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