Nicotine Salts

How is Nic Salt Different From Freebase?

Freebase nicotine was the original type of nicotine used in e-liquids when vaping first entered the mainstream. It’s derived from the tobacco leaf, but when vaporised (rather than smoked), it takes a while to hit the blood stream and tends to be harsher on the throat the higher your nicotine strength is.

This meant that, for a long time, heavy smokers had to vape a lot of harsh vapour to get the satisfaction they needed to stay off of cigarettes.

Nicotine salt e-liquids were invented to address these shortcomings. By adding an acid to the nicotine molecule—usually benzoic acid or salicylic acid—the nicotine becomes a “salt,” which is metabolized by the body much faster and can take effect in just a few seconds. In addition, the nicotine salt formulation is smoother on the throat than freebase is, enabling would-be ex-smokers to get more of the nicotine they need from their vape without the harshness of freebase formulations.

Freebase does have its upsides, though—particularly for those who want to wean themselves off of nicotine. There are more nicotine strength options with freebase nicotine, and while it takes longer for the nicotine to “kick in,” the effects of freebase may last slightly longer than that of nic salts. Plus, some smokers report that the “harshness” of freebase nicotine does a better job of replicating the feeling of smoking for them, though this is of course down to personal preference.