This is highly plausible. Nicotine addiction seems to differ from individual to individual as well. I know people who smoke for years, then just one day decide to quit and do it without any issues[0] and stay off it for a couple of months or years and then start again, or not. Me personally I go insane within 12-24 hours of abstinence (massive anxiety/frustration) and it requires an enormous amount of willpower to get past the 48-72 hours until it starts to ease.

[0] They mostly cite the "habit" being hard to break