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With the recent explosion and popularity of pod vapes, compact pocket size vaporizers with a tighter draw, salt nicotine has become all the rage. But what is it? Many vapers who use standard nicotine and are used to their sub-ohm vaporizers are unfamiliar. For some, this can be confusing and leaves vapers with questions. We get many great questions from our guests here at Vapor, and the most popular seem to be what is salt nicotine and what is standard nicotine and how do they differ? In this blog post, we will explore and answer those questions in basic, simplistic terms for a better understanding.

What is Standard Nicotine?

Standard nicotine, or “freebase” nicotine, pretty much just means that it is nicotine in its purest possible form. This is the method of nicotine delivery that was coined by the tobacco companies in the 1960’s. Nicotine is de-protonated to remove the positive charge, hereby making it more easily absorbed by the lungs and more potent when heated. This is the norm for combustible cigarettes and smoking cessation systems as well as for the vaping industry; freebase nicotine is added to a mixture of vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol to create the e-liquid we know and love today.

What is Salt Nicotine?

Salt nicotine is the natural state of nicotine comprised in the tobacco plant. Nicotine in this state has the chemical composition of salt. To consume nicotine in this natural state, you would need to use extremely high temperatures to vaporize it, and it does not absorb quickly into the body. It is the addition of benzoic acid to salt nicotine that makes salt nicotine an ideal delivery system. When benzoic acid is added to salt nicotine it lowers the PH of the nicotine. This allows the salt nicotine to be absorbed by the body much quicker as well as allowing for increased concentrations of nicotine without the harsh throat hit.

So, What are the main differences?

The most important main difference is this: nicotine strengths. As you increase the nicotine concentrations in freebase nicotine the hit will become harsher and the flavor drowned out, due to the high PH level of freebase nicotine. In salt nicotine, due to the benzoic acid reducing the PH level, you can increase the concentration of nicotine without the harsh throat hit as well as getting the full flavor of the e-liquid.

Another difference is the absorption rate of the freebase nicotine versus salt nicotine. Where freebase nicotine in comparison to salt nicotine without benzoic acid is absorbed through the body much quicker, the addition of benzoic acid creates a very rapid absorption and a more potent effect, more so than even freebase nicotine.

Why Salt Nicotine?

So why choose salt nicotine over standard nicotine you may ask. If you are a current cigarette smoker and you are looking to vaping as an option to help you quit, salt nicotine can be very useful. Before the appearance of salt nic in the mainstream, smokers transitioning to vaping only had the option of freebase nicotine e-liquids. As mentioned before, those smokers would have to endure harsh throat hits and unpalatable flavor from freebase e-liquid in higher concentrations to receive the same type of “nic buzz” that they received from a cigarette. With the emergence of salt nic, those same smokers can now transition to vaping much easier with the option of higher concentrated nic levels without sacrificing flavor or smoothness.

If you do choose salt nicotine e-liquid, it is strongly advised to use only pod vapes to consume your salt nic. The reason is that salt nicotine does not need to be vaporized at high temps, and rather is optimal to be vaporized at lower temperatures which pod vapes provide. If you were to vape a salt nicotine at a highly concentrated level with a traditional sub-ohm vaporizer, you would find that the amount of nicotine delivered to your body could be “too much,” and may make you feel light headed, dizzy, nauseated, or all of the above.

Is Salt Nicotine safe?

You might be thinking at this point, well are salt nicotine e-liquids as safe to vape as freebase nicotine e-liquids? Salt nicotine e-liquids are generally thought of to be comparable in safety to standard freebase nicotine. The question of safety when it comes to salt nic would be the addition on benzoic acid. Although there have not been many studies conducted, toxicology reports that have been done on the effects of benzoic acid show no potential dangers of vaporizing the substance besides minor lung and throat irritation. The only other potential draw back of vaping salt nicotine e-liquids is that the rapid absorption rate along with the higher concentration of nicotine could contribute it being more addictive than standard freebase nicotine.

It is up to you to be a responsible adult vaper and do your research – you are the only one who can educate yourself and make the right decisions about your vaping habits. The team here at Vapor is always here for you should you have questions or concerns we are happy to help.

Vapor Salt Nic E-Liquid

Most of our regular in store and online guests already know that we have released 27 brand new flavors over the last three months. In addition to new flavors being released, we have also launched our own line of Vapor salt nic e-liquids, which has been a very exciting venture for us. All of our 27 new flavors are available in salt nic as well as 29 Vapor classics. Salt nic e-liquid is available in a 50/50 VG/PG blend in either 25mg or 50mg. As always, we offer our salt nic e-liquid in 30ml or 60ml bottles as well as in sample packs. Available flavors and pricing are listed below.

Vapor Flavors Available in Salt Nic

• Caramel Tobacco
• Coffee ‘N’ Cream
• Flapjacks
• Honey Circles
• Molten Mint
• Munch Crunch 2.0
• Sweet Flakes
• Strawnana
• TYBM 2.0
• Banana Truffle Cake
• Stawnana Smoothie
• Spearmint Gum
• Cuba Libre
• Cherry Bottlecaps
• Rainbow Sherbert
• Fruity Lime
• Strawtermelon
• Oatmeal Cookie
• Banana Nut Bread
• Creamy Tobacco
• Harry Nelson
• Honeydew Custard
• Shockwave
• Lychee Fruit Smoothie
• PB&J
• Black Cat
• Strawberry Kettlecorn
• Banana Cream Pie
• Bubblemelon
• Chocolate Milk
• Cosmic Sundae
• Creamy Pebbles
• Key Lime Sorbet
• Martyr Red
• Poseidon
• Triple Melon
• Walker Blood
• Custards Last Stand
• Forbidden Lust
• Mama’s Cookie Jar
• Pina Colada
• Pipeline Dream
• Plan B
• Sour Sunbeams
• Strawberry Cheesecake
• Strawberry Lemonade
• Wet Lips
• Blue Razz
• Blue Razz Lemonade
• Dragonfly
• Kiwi Clouds
• Lime Pepino
• Peach Mango Green Tea
• Peanut Butter Cup
• Pomaberry Custard
• Summer Strawberry