Nicotine Salts: Everything You Want to Know
For some, vaping is a fun pastime that allows them to enjoy the overall experience as well as all of the different flavors the e-juices have to offer. For others, vaping is a way to still to wean off of nicotine that they would get when they’re smoking cigarettes. it gives you an alternative route that helps to avoid the damaging effects of burning the tobacco, creating tar and inhaling the smoke. However, vaping is not always the most effective way to inhale nicotine. The liquid in vapes for a long time has been called e-Liquid. This vape juice provided ex-smokers a way to heat their nicotine into vapor. For vapers who wanted high nicotine content over 30mg, there was a better vape juice. Let’s take a look at what nicotine salts are.
What Are Nicotine Salts?
The name often leads many to believe that nicotine salts are some type of crystalline nicotine form that users vape, it is simply liquid just like e-Juice. It is formed naturally in the leaf tobacco. Unlike the freebase nicotine that you would find in many e-juices or in e-cigarettes, nicotine salts utilize an extra acid, known as Benzoic Acid, that helps to allow users to vape higher nicotine levels. This helps them do it without having to worry about the discomfort that comes with inhaling large quantities of nicotine. In addition, nicotine salts help to recreate a similar feeling that compares to the one smokers get when they take hits from cigarettes.
Benzoic Acid is a non-toxic plant based chemical. It is the main reason why it helps this form absorb into the body so well. It vaporizes at much lower temperatures. The pH levels are much more too.
Nicotine salts came back into the spotlight again when the company PAX began using nicotine salts in their JUUL pod cartridges. This usage allowed the company and the users of the JUUL to begin using and vaping higher amounts of nicotine. Once people discovered that they could begin doing this without having to deal with the harshness the usage of it took off can be found throughout a variety of different e-juices on the market today.
Freebase Nicotine vs Nicotine Salts
Freebase nicotine refers to nicotine that has been extracted from the tobacco plant and used in e-juices for vaping. The biggest issue is that freebase nicotine is pure nicotine. When it's smoked in high quantities, the high pH levels contained within the nicotine causes an intense throat burning sensation. This is why most vape enthusiasts will cap their nicotine levels at a certain point. Nicotine salts, by adding Benzoic Acid, help to relieve this burning sensation. It allows users to take much larger hits of nicotine without having to deal with the problems that typically come with these higher doses. This is why nicotine salts have become so popular, especially with those who are looking to quit smoking and start vaping.
Pod Cartridges
e-Liquids are used with different vape tank atomizers. This is another feature that is distinctly different between the two vape juices. Nicotine salts need to be strictly used with pod cartridges. Pods give a much more precise heating to your liquid making every puff more consistent. They are also better at being leak and clog resistant which regular atomizers can be a pain at.
Pod cartridges tend to be come pre-filled more often than atomizer tanks. However, atomizers can be customized better. There are more parts and styles. Similar to a car, if you think you can drive it better than the car can, go with a manual transmission. If you just want the car to be as optimized as possible without your interference, go with the automatic transmission.
Benefits
The biggest advantage of this altered form of nicotine is that it gives users the ability to take in larger amounts of nicotine without having to worry about the acidity and throat burns. However, there are actually a few other benefits that come with using nicotine salts. Here are some of the most notable benefits that come with using them.
Similar to Smoking Cigarettes
Nicotine salts will allow users to absorb nicotine faster than e-juices utilizing freebase nicotine. This provides a nicotine absorption experience that is similar to what one receives when they smoke a cigarette.
One of the biggest issues with new vapers who are trying to quit smoking cigarettes say that vapes don't give the same feeling as cigarettes. This is partially why. With nicotine salts, you can get a very identical-like experience.
Help Quit Smoking Cigarettes
Due to the fact that nicotine salts provide a cigarette-like experience, nicotine salts are useful in helping cigarette smokers get off cigarettes, which is a major benefit noted by users of e-juices containing nicotine salts.
With e-juices that have nicotine salts, you will need to use less e-juice over time since they have higher nicotine levels than e-juices that use freebase nicotine. This means that you save money by having to use less e-juice in your device during each vape session.
Longer Shelf Life
E-juices with nicotine salts have a longer shelf life than those that use freebase nicotine. This means that you can hang onto it longer. You can use your e-juice without having to worry about it going bad.
Flavor
The issue with freebase nicotine is that it the flavor of it can be a bit overwhelming. It may also make the flavor of your vape juice less potent than you would like. Nicotine salts are less strong in terms of flavor and allow you to enjoy the flavor of your e-juice.
Overall, nicotine salts should be the go-to for both cigarette smokers and for vape users who have been previously using e-juices containing freebase nicotine.
Why You Should Use Nicotine Salts?
There are quite a few reasons why you should be using nicotine salts in place of traditional freebase nicotine. The biggest reason why you should switch to nicotine salts is to quit smoking. If you are smoker who switched to vaping with e-Liquid, you may have noticed that you were not receiving the nicotine hits that you needed. This may have contributed to cravings and encouraged you to return to cigarettes. Since nicotine salts contain higher nicotine levels and provide a similar experience to smoking, it is highly recommended that smokers switch to salts to curb urges and cravings.
Another reason why it is recommended that individuals should use nicotine salts is that it is more cost-effective in the long run. We all know that the cost of cigarettes are rising and may be costing you a lot of money if you are a heavy smoker. Even those that use e-juices could be wasting money unnecessarily. With salts, you have to take less hits in order to get your nicotine fix. If you’re looking to save money, the fact that it is more affordable down the road is another reason why you should use nicotine salts.
Different Strengths
Obviously, different users are going to need different strengths of nicotine salts in order to meet different needs. That being said, salts typically come in strengths of anywhere as low as 3 milligrams to anywhere as high as 50 milligrams or over. Nictoine salts that contain nicotine levels of around 3 to 5 milligrams should be used for those who are looking for more flavorful vape hits. Standard levels fall into the 20 milligram to 35 milligram range and these types of strengths should be used for those who are looking to get their nicotine fix but who don’t need high levels of nicotine. Anyone who is planning to use nicotine salts with dosages of 50 milligrams or higher should only do so if they are heavy smokers.These high levels of nicotine could lead to addiction in those who are not used to it. It may be overwhelming as well.
Advantages
We touched upon most of the advantages of using nicotine salts in the benefits section above but it is important to remind you of these advantages before you weigh them against the disadvantages of using nicotine salts. For one, they give you the ability to take in high levels of nicotine without suffering from the harsh hits that you will experience with freebase nicotine juices. This makes it a perfect mix for those who are looking to quit smoking but don’t want to have to deal with the problematic e-Liquid.
Salts will also require less when you hit your vape, making it a desirable option for smokers who are looking to save more money. Those using nicotine salts will also be able to experience flavorful, rich hits from their vape as nicotine salts do not affect vape flavors in the same way that freebase nicotine does. Overall, nicotine salts are much more desirable.
Disadvantages
Let’s take a look at some of the disadvantages that you may expect to see when using these.
High Nicotine
Since nicotine salts contain higher levels of nicotine, they are not necessarily for everyone. The feeling of so much nicotine can get a little overwhelming at times, especially for occasional smokers. They can be trying to get off of cigarettes but who don’t need higher amounts of nicotine like heavy smokers do.
Won't Work on All Vapes
Nicotine salts are typically only usable with vape pens and the pods that you would find in an e-cigarette such as a JUUL. This means that heavy smokers who are looking to get a handheld vaporizer device that can handle these substances are going to have a much harder time doing so. It does not often mix well with larger vape options and their individual parts. Pods don't fit on all vapes, only pod style vaporizers.
When to Consider Nicotine Salts
If you’re a heavy smoker looking to improve your overall health by quitting your cigarette habit, you should definitely consider using nicotine salts in place of your cigarettes. These nicotine salts will give you the same type of experience as a cigarette will without all of the health complications that come with the combustion of the tobacco, harmful toxins in the tobacco and the cigarette filter. If you’re having trouble quitting smoking and have tried out freebase nicotine e-juices only to return to cigarettes, now is the time to consider nicotine salts to help you along your journey.
Best Nicotine Salts
Like any other type of e-juice, with or without nicotine additives, there are clear favorites among vape enthusiasts and nicotine users. Some of the brands that have managed to stand out from the rest of the nicotine salt juices on the market are Salty Man by Solace and and Nic Salt by GOST Vapors.
Best Devices to Use Nicotine Salts With
The biggest issue with nicotine salts and one of the disadvantages that we noted above are they are not compatible with larger, more powerful vape setups. This means that you are typically limited to e-cigarette setups such as the JUUL or vape pens that can handle these types of liquids. Therefore, you should definitely only use nicotine salts with vape pens or with devices that were built with nicotine salt usage in mind. That being said, you can sometimes break this rule by using nicotine salt juices containing much lower levels in your bigger vaporizers. Make sure that you do your research beforehand in order to ensure that you remain safe when you are doing this.
Although many think that nicotine is just nicotine, the type of e-juices you are vaping that contain nicotine additives have a huge impact on the overall experience, especially for those who are in need of higher nicotine levels. Hopefully, this extensive guide on the nature and usage of nicotine salts has taught you more about the substance and how you can use it for your own personal use when switching to vaporizer devices. As always, return to this guide to ensure that you are purchasing the right nicotine salts, using them correctly, and working with your best interest in mind.