So what are ‘Nicotine Salts’?
Nicotine is either in ‘salt’ form or ‘freebase’ form. Freebase is what most e-liquids use, where the nicotine compound has been isolated and then used in it’s purest chemical form. Freebase nicotine is stronger mg/mg against nicotine salts but it is slower to absorb and is also “harsher” to inhale at higher strengths.
Want to get a bit more technical?
Nic salts are derived from the natural nicotine salts found in tobacco plants, these salts are made up of positively charged ionized nicotine molecules bound to negatively charged organic conjugates. Freebase nicotine, as found in the ‘traditional’ eliquids we are used to, is a result of extracting these salts from tobacco plants and using ammonia to increase the pH level, returning the nicotine to a neutrally charged freebase state.
So what is the point of using nic salts?
The main idea of ‘salts’ is that you can use a high concentration (20mg/ml) to take one or two puffs and relieve your craving instead of a having to vape much more of a lower strength (3-12mg/ml) to get the same effect.
What devices are best for using nic salts?
Nicotine salts are designe to be used in smaller vape systems, often known as ‘starter kits’ or ‘pod-systems’ – these are devices, commonly with a coil resistance of 1Ω or higher, that are made to replicate the inhale of a cigarette.
Please note: We DO NOT recommend the use of nicotine salts in ‘sub-ohm’ devices that create a large amount of vapour as there is a risk of taking on more nicotine than intended, which can have serious adverse side-effects such as nausea, vomiting, headaches and feinting.