In short, nicotine pouches are small, rectangular pouches filled with nicotine and flavourings designed to be placed between the lip and gum for a gradual release of nicotine into the bloodstream. They contain nicotine either extracted from tobacco plants or synthetically created, with the nicotine strengths of each pouch ranging from around 1.5mg-50mg. Nic pouches are usually sold in plastic “cans” of up to 20. Nicotine pouch manufacturers offer a variety of flavours and pouch sizes. Nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco unlike Snus, which is banned for sale and use in the UK. Snus popularised itself in Sweden after being brought over from Finland, by the 1700’s, Snus was the most common way to use tobacco.
Nicotine pouches have gained a lot of popularity recently, especially with the UK disposable vape ban being confirmed for this year, lots of people are exploring other ways to get their nicotine fix with low amounts of required maintenance. Just like disposable vapes, nicotine pouches are ready straight from the box and can offer an instant satisfaction.
Nicotine Pouch Ingredients & Makeup
Nicotine pouches are made up of a few different components. Each component plays a different role in how the nicotine pouch works. There are five different main components that make up a nicotine pouch.
The Pouch
The nicotine pouch itself is soft and malleable. It’s made out of organic cellulose compounds. Cellulose is complex carbohydrate, found in nearly all plant matter on earth. For example, cotton is a type of cellulose as it’s plant fibre. This makes the pouch fleecy, soft, and comfortable on the gums. The pouch material is soft and strong, containing the nicotine substrate as well as the fillers, flavours, and other ingredients.
pH Increaser
Nicotine pouches are designed to enable the gradual release of nicotine through the mucosa (the mucous membrane) located in the gums and cheeks. In order for the nicotine to travel effectively across this barrier, the pH must be more basic than neutral. This is why ingredients like sodium carbonate or bicarbonate are used, they increase the pH of the ingredients from acidic or neutral to basic. The general upper pH limit of a nicotine pouches ingredients is 9.1. Anything more alkaline than this can cause strong irritation in the mouth. If the information is available, check the pH of your nicotine pouch in order to determine the level of gum irritation as nicotine absorption effectiveness.
Filler
Filler/binding ingredients help bulk out the nicotine pouch and depending on the filler used, the nicotine pouches physical feel will alter. Some pouches are bulkier, some are softer, and some are thinner. The physical attributes of the filler will also determine the speed of the nicotine being released. A more sparse filler will allow the nicotine to penetrate the pouch quicker, while a thicker filler will release the nicotine gradually over a longer period of time.
Nicotine
There are two types of nicotine used in nicotine pouches. The most common type of nicotine is naturally extracted nicotine. This nicotine is extracted from tobacco leaves, leaving a form of nicotine called nicotine salt. You may recognise this type of nicotine as being the most popular nicotine used in vaping e-liquids, often called nicotine salts. Less commonly used in nicotine pouches is synthetic nicotine. Synthetic nicotine contains the same properties as tobacco extracted nicotine and their chemical makeup is no different. Each pouch manufacturer will have a preference in which type of nicotine they use, however the end result is near identical for the consumer.
Flavours
Although many of the nicotine pouches on the market are available as primarily mint and menthol flavours, lots of pouch brands now feature a myriad of flavours. You now have the choice between fruit, dessert, candy, and menthol flavours. All flavourings contained in a nic pouch are food-grade , the same type of flavourings you’d use in cake baking or find in your e-liquid. Different brands offer different flavours so many people prefer to try an array of each before deciding on their favourite.
Nicotine Pouch Strengths
If you’re new to nicotine pouches you may get overwhelmed when trying to work out the best nicotine strength for you. Nicotine pouch strengths do not correlate to e-liquid or disposable vape strengths, they’re more similar to nicotine gum & lozenges. When you vape, a lot of the nicotine is lost through exhaled vapour so the true strength is harder to tell.
Per Gram or Per Pouch?
The trickiest part about deciding which strength is for you is wrapping your head around the difference between nicotine per gram and nicotine per pouch. Mg/g (milligram of nicotine per gram) just means how much nicotine there is per gram of pouch. Most pouches don’t weigh exactly 1g, they’re usually a little more or less and each brand will have varying weights. This is why manufactures have started to introduce the mg/pouch (milligram of nicotine per pouch) rating to give more of an accurate strength. A simple way to calculate the mg/pouch is mg/g x pouch weight = mg/pouch. Some brands will display both of these values, so make sure you’re reading the correct one when establishing the pouch you want. The definition of the two values are as follows:
- Mg/g: This calculation will show how many milligrams of nicotine is in each gram of nic pouch. If a pouch says 20mg/g, for every 1 gram of pouch, there is 20mg of nicotine.
- Mg/pouch: This calculation will show how many milligrams of nicotine is in each individual pouch. If a pouch says there is 20mg/pouch, then 1 whole pouch will feature 20mg of nicotine.
The Label
As there are so many different brands creating nicotine pouches, every nicotine pouch looks different. As well as the written numerical strength, nicotine pouches sometimes feature dots or colours to indicate strength. Some companies feature a line with an indictor, a dot scale, or even a colour gradient to show the strength of the pouch. Although at first glance these types of indicators are quick and easy to read, they can vary depending on the brand. For example, some brands will label their nicotine pouches as ‘low strength’ at 10mg/pouch, however some brands would label their 10mg/pouch as ‘extra strong’. This can cause a disconnect between each brand you try. This can be tricky as you may believe you’re getting on with ‘extra strong’ pouches, only to find out its a ‘regular’ strength in another brand. We’d recommend always looking at the numerical value to decide which nicotine pouch strength to choose.
Our Categories
We decided to categorise all the nicotine pouches we stock into four different strengths. We based our categories on mg/per pouch, no matter which strength the manufacturers class it as. Our four categories are as follows:
- Low: 0mg-6mg
- Regular: 7mg-12mg
- Strong: 13mg-19mg
- X-Strong: 20mg+
For many people, we’d recommend starting on a lower strength nicotine pouch. It’s always best to start lower. It’s easy to overdo nicotine, especially when it’s in the form as a nicotine pouch. Overdoing nicotine can result in a ‘rush’, nausea, and even dizziness. It’s better to increase the strength of your nicotine pouches gradually until you find a strength that’s suitable for you.
Popular Nicotine Pouch Brands
There are many brands of nicotine pouches. Pouches originate from different parts of the world, with areas of Europe being the bigger manufacturers. There are brands like On!, LYFT, and Nordic Spirit that have been in the game for years creating high-quality products that have gained a reputable following. If you are already familiar with nicotine pouches or vaping, you may have noticed that lots of vape manufacturers have decided to create their own nicotine pouches using the flavours that they use in their famous e-liquid or disposable vapes. As many brands have suddenly flooded the market, we’ve decided to let you in on our top 3 brands to try first.
VELO
Velo are an incredibly popular brand. They’ve recently gone through a re-brand, making their products look better than ever. Velo are owned by British American Tobacco (BAT), a company with huge global presence. Velo was brought to users in 2019 and have gone through many redesigns and upgrades since, with tear-resistant pouches and twist-to-open cans. Velo’s nicotine strengths vary from 4mg to 17mg, 17mg being a newly released, stronger choice. The range of strengths allows for beginner and experienced users to enjoy Velo. With there being currently 20 flavours to choose from, we think Velo make a great introductory brand to nicotine pouch use.
PABLO
Pablo nicotine pouches are often used by more experienced users due to the strengths available. The lowest strength that Pablo offers is 15mg per pouch which is generally the upper limit for other brands. You can even get your hands on 30mg/pouch which equates to a whopping 50mg/g. The reason why Pablo has made our top 3 list is because of the sheer strength and flavour they offer. We understand that not everyone is a beginner and some people are looking for high strength, high flavour pouches. We’d recommend Pablo pouches or Killa pouches, both made by the same manufacturer, NGP Tobacco. Pablo pouches originate from Denmark and are popular in every country that sells nicotine pouches.
ZYN
Zyn are a popular presence around the world. The word ‘Zyn’ is almost synonymous with ‘nicotine pouch’. Many people call every nicotine pouch a ‘Zyn’, showing how much of an impact Zyn has had on the nicotine pouch market. They come in a range of sizes and flavours, with beaming reviews from many customers. The lowest strength available is 3mg/pouch, with the highest being 12.5mg/pouch. As Zyn offer incremental strengths, we find them to be great for beginners who are trying to work out with strength is right for them. Zyn’s flavours have always been heavily praised, with their nicotine hit being almost instant. Having an instant and intense nicotine hit is a personal choice with some people preferring it and others wanting a more gradual release.
Conclusion
It's likely that nicotine pouches will become more popular as the time goes by, with hundreds of flavours and brands being available. We're excited to see what brands come up with and we're looking forward to trying them. Nic pouches are a simple way to beat those nicotine cravings discreetly wherever you are, this is what makes them special compared to vaping or smoking.
