Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Test Calculator

Enter Calculation

1. Your first cigarette after waking is: Within 30 minutes (1) After 30 minutes (0)

2. The cigarette you would most hate to give up is: The first one of the morning (1) Any other (0)

3. You smoke most frequently during the: Morning (1) Afternoon (0)

4. Nicotine content (yield) of your cigarettes: 0.9 mg or less (0) 1.0 to 1.2 mg (1) 1.3 mg or more (2)

5. Do you refrain from smoking in no-smoking areas (where it is forbidden)? Yes, I refrain (0) No, I have difficulty (1)

6. How many cigarettes per day do you smoke? 15 or fewer (0) 16 to 25 (1) 26 or more (2)

7. Do you smoke even when you are sick (ill in bed)? Yes (1) No (0)

8. Do you inhale the smoke into your lungs? Always (2) Sometimes (1) No (0)

Results

Fagerstrom Dependence Score

11

points (out of 11)

Dependence level	High
What it means	Requires the most effort. Withdrawal symptoms are temporary - quit as soon as possible.
Bands	Low 0-3, Moderate 4-6, High 7-11

This is a self-assessment screening tool based on the legacy 8-item Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire. It is informational only and not a substitute for medical advice.

What this calculator does

This tool estimates how physically dependent on nicotine a smoker is. It uses the classic 8-item Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire (FTQ), first published by Karl-Olov Fagerstrom in Addictive Behaviors (1978). You answer eight quick questions about your smoking habits, and the calculator adds up the points for each answer to produce a single dependence score from 0 to 11. It is a universal screening instrument and is not tied to any country.

How to use it

Pick the one option that best matches you for each of the eight questions, then read off your total. The numbers in parentheses are the points each answer contributes. A higher total means stronger physical dependence and a likely harder time quitting without support. If you leave a question alone, the default (highest-dependence) answer is used.

The formula explained

The score is purely additive: $$\text{Total} = \text{Q1} + \text{Q2} + \text{Q3} + \text{Q4} + \text{Q5} + \text{Q6} + \text{Q7} + \text{Q8}$$. The minimum possible score is 0 and the maximum is 11 (\(1+1+1+2+1+2+1+2\)). The result is then placed into one of three bands: Low (0-3) means quitting is physically easier but psychological dependence is strong; Moderate (4-6) means cravings will persist after stopping and a strong will is needed; High (7-11) means quitting takes the most effort, though withdrawal symptoms are temporary.

The total score (0-11) maps to low, moderate, and high nicotine dependence bands.

Worked example

A heavy smoker selects: first cigarette within 30 minutes (1), most hates to give up the morning cigarette (1), smokes most in the morning (1), uses 1.3 mg-or-more cigarettes (2), cannot refrain in no-smoking areas (1), smokes 26+ per day (2), smokes when ill (1), and always inhales (2). The total is $$1+1+1+2+1+2+1+2 = 11$$ which falls in the High band.

Each of the 8 questions contributes points that sum to the final dependence score.

FAQ

Is this the same as the modern FTND test? No. This is the older 8-item FTQ. The modern 6-item Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) dropped the nicotine-content and morning-vs-afternoon items. Scores between the two are not directly comparable.

What does my score mean medically? It is a rough indicator of physical dependence to guide quitting strategy, not a diagnosis. A high score suggests nicotine-replacement therapy or professional support may help.

Should I see a doctor? If you want to quit, yes - this result is informational only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.