Although the term snus and nicotine pouches may be used interchangeably they are in fact not the same thing, the main difference between snus and nicotine pouches are that snus contains tobacco and nicotine pouches are tobacco free. Tobacco containing snus is illegal for sale in the UK however tobacco free nicotine pouches are pretty unregulated as they aren’t covered by any specific tobacco or medical laws which makes them legal for sale in the UK.

Nicotine pouches are small pouches that are used orally to deliver nicotine without containing any tobacco, nicotine pouches are often used as a smoke free alternative to delivering nicotine to the body. Although there is variation to the size and sometimes the colour the directions for use are the same, the pouches are put under (typically) the top lip and left to deliver nicotine continuously for up to about 30 minutes, after which the pouch is disposed of. Depending on the strength of nicotine pouches they can cause a burning sensation when under the lip and it’s important to remember this is normal and after a few uses will decrease, this is simply because of the high amounts of nicotine sat against the gum.

Nicotine pouches are typically made out of organic cellulose compounds creating a non-woven fleece, the filler inside the pouches are made out of plant-based fibers which are used to bulk up the pouch so it can carry the nicotine and flavourings. Food grade flavourings and synthetic nicotine is added to the filler along with water and sometimes stabilisers and pH adjusters.

Typically people that would want to use nicotine pouches are people that still want nicotine but want a smoke free alternative, nicotine pouches are popular amongst athletes as they can avoid cardiovascular strain from smoke/vape inhalation, because nicotine is a stimulant it can also be used to keep someone alert and focused which could be favoured by athletes. Another user that may want to use nicotine pouches is someone looking to quit smoking/vaping but struggles with the idea of going cold turkey on nicotine, nicotine pouches can be substituted to allow the user to still get nicotine. Finally nicotine can be used for existing vapers if they are in a scenario in which they cant vape for an extended period of time and think they will struggle, for example a plane journey, people who work in offices or people that have kids and don’t want their kids to see them vaping. There are many other reasons someone may want to start using nicotine pouches and these are just a few examples.

The short answer is no, although you will be avoiding any damage to your lungs nicotine pouches do come with risks of their own. Nicotine pouches can cause gum irritation and this is because of the pouch being sat against the gum, although any serious issues such as gum receding is usually because of heavy users that use very high amounts of nicotine containing nicotine pouches.

Understanding the strengths of nicotine pouches can become quite complicated, this is because every pot of nicotine pouches will have an amount of nicotine in the pot but also an amount per pouch, when pouches start to come in different weights and sizes this can become quite complicated, especially when you remember nicotine is often labelled per gram.

The two most important numbers are the strength per pouch and the strength per gram. The strengths per pouch is just how much nicotine is in a single pouch and the strength per gram dictates the concentration of the nicotine. A good example to explain this is the difference between standard Killa and Killa mini. Killa and Killa mini pouches both have the same concentration of nicotine which is 16.5mg per gram but because the size and weight of the pouch is different the total nicotine per pouch is different, the Killa’s are 13.2mg per pouch and the Killa minis 8.25mg per pouch. Because the concentration of nicotine is the same per gram these pouches will feel about the same at first but because the Killa mini pouch is smaller and contains less total nicotine the hit does drop off quicker than the larger Killa pouches which will give you nicotine for longer.

One final thing that can dictate how strong a nicotine pouch feels is how wet the pouch is, from experience a more wet pouch can lead to quicker nicotine absorption which can make the pouch feel much stronger at first due to lots of the nicotine being absorbed very quickly, where as a drier pouch feels like the absorption is more gradual, this is totally up to personal preference.

At Vapourium we sell a range of Nicotine Pouches such as popular brands like Cuba, Pablo, Killa and Icebergs.

If your looking for a slightly weaker pouch to try out Nicotine Pouches we would recommend starting with either Helwit or Killa Mini pouches.

To browse all our Nicotine Pouches click here.