Nicotine salt e-liquids are a type of nicotine-containing e-liquid that uses salt-based nicotine, which is naturally found in tobacco leaves and has a higher nicotine content than regular e-liquids. They are popular due to their smoother hit and faster absorption into the bloodstream, making them suitable for mouth-to-lung or restricted direct lung inhalation. ‌

Characteristics

• ‌Formulation‌Nicotine salts are formulated with Benzoic Acid to provide a smoother inhale and enhance absorption. ‌
• ‌Popularity‌They became popular with the rise of pod-based vaping devices like Juul and are commonly used in Sikary and Memers systems. ‌

Market Trends

In 2021, about 25% of synthetic nicotine e-liquids sold in US online stores were salt-based, with varying nicotine strengths and flavor profiles. ‌

Safety Warning

Nicotine salts are addictive and may cause health risks if used improperly. ‌

Is Nicotine Salt E-Liquid Right for you?

The only remaining question is whether nicotine salt e-liquid is worth trying for you. Only you can decide, but if you consider what’s important to you in your vaping experience, you can determine if it’s worthwhile.  Nicotine salts would be a suitable choice if any of the following statements apply to you:

• New vapers who are struggling to get the required nicotine fix from freebase e-liquid.
• Experienced vapers who are looking for a smoother vape.
• Vapers looking to get stronger nicotine hits from less vape liquid.
• Stealth vapers who don’t want to produce large clouds to get their required amount of nicotine.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The benefits of nic salts are obvious. They last a long time, provide a great transition from smoking to vaping, and deliver a faster nicotine fix. This means you will vape less. Additionally, nicotine salts, vape starter kits, and pod devices produce smaller clouds of smoke than other e-liquids and vape kits.

As with any new development, there are pros and cons to consider. Below is a brief overview of the pros and cons of nicotine salt e-juice.

Advantages

• Much higher nicotine strengths can be comfortably vaped.
• More satisfying for heavier smokers.
• Work more effectively with lower-powered devices.
• Cheaper in the long-run because you use less juice.
• Arguably less impact on the flavor of the juice than freebase nicotine.

Disadvantages

• They aren’t ideal for higher-power devices.
• Less choice in e-liquid flavors at present.
• Too much nicotine for some vapers.
• Benefits limited in some areas: e.g. the EU’s TPD limits nicotine strength to 20 mg/ml.

Nicotine salts aren’t a massive, game-changing innovation, but they do offer benefits for some vapers and devices. If these benefits align with what you want from your vaping experience, they’re worth trying. However, if you have an ordinary vape mod and get enough nicotine from your device, there's little reason to switch to a salt-friendly setup.