This study aimed to examine the effects of long-term smoking and nicotine dependence on pain following surgery.

107 male participants who were undergoing elective thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery were divided into 3 groups:

• those who had a high nicotine dependency and discontinued smoking less than 3 weeks before surgery;
• those who had a high nicotine dependency but quit smoking more than 3 weeks post surgery; and
• non-smokers.