Factors Affecting Nicotine Pouch Strength

The great thing about nicotine pouches is that they come in many different nicotine strengths and flavours. Some nicopods will deliver a powerful nicotine kick, whilst others will only give off a gentle buzz. Although nicotine content values and labels indicate the exact amount of nicotine in your product, there are a multitude of factors that can affect how strong a nicotine pouch will actually feel to you. This may sound unlikely, but factors such as individual differences, moisture content, pH levels, and even flavouring, can influence the strength of a nicotine pouch.

There is so much more to consider other than how to understand the nicotine content when determining the strength of a pouch! Knowing which factors can determine the potency of your favourite product can help you to choose products that are the perfect strength for you, for a satisfying experience every time.

Perceived Nicotine Strength is Important

"How can I know how strong a nicotine pouch will be?"

The short, but also slightly misleading answer here is nicotine content! High mg/g or mg/pouch values mean that there is a high concentration of nicotine in the nicotine pouch. However, the truth is that these values are not always representative of how strong the nicotine pouch will feel to you. Why? This is because of the perceived strength phenomenon that is affected by several factors, listed further down.

Sometimes, two nicotine pouches will be dosed with the same nicotine mg/g or pouch, but one will feel much stronger than the other. Perceived strength can explain this disparity. Perceived strength simply refers to how strong a nicotine pouch feels to you, without considering nicotine content, which is what matters the most!

What Makes a Nicotine Pouch Strong?

Now that you know mg/g and mg/pouch values are reliable indicators of actual strength, let us take a look at the three most important factors that can determine perceived strength, regardless of total nicotine content:

• Moisture Content - You may have noticed some variation in how moist or dry different nicotine pouches are, for example ACE and VELO nicotine pouches are known for their soft portion material and moist contents, whereas On! and Nordic Spirit nicotine pouches are dry. Feel the different pouches and empty the contents and you will see! There are many reasons for different moisture content, including flavour release, duration, and mouthfeel, but nicotine strength is the big one. Moisture content can determine how quickly nicotine is released and how much is absorbed. High moisture content creates more salivation and drip, enabling the nicotine to be released and absorbed faster than a dry pouch.
• pH - No, this is not a secondary school chemistry lesson! pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance, ranging from 0 (acidic) to 14 (alkaline), which can also affect the strength of a nicotine pouch. In nicotine pouches, alkalinity is favoured for higher strength, as the higher the pH value, the more nicotine is absorbed! You may have come across ‘acidity regulators’ or ‘pH adjusters’ when looking at nicotine pouch ingredients, as these regulators are used to determine the strength of a nicotine pouch.
• Flavour - The flavour of a nicotine pouch may seem like an unlikely candidate for strength, however, certain flavours can seriously boost the strength sensation! Menthol, eucalyptus, mint, and jalapeño are all examples of strength increasing flavours. How? Well, such flavours have stimulating and invigorating aroma and taste properties, that when coupled with nicotine, increase the overall perceived strength. Manufactures add flavours that provide a cooling, tingling, or burning sensation to awaken your senses and enhance the nicotine effect. In comparison, flavours like forest fruits and liquorice are more calming and relaxing, which can make for a gentler experience, even at higher nicotine levels!

Which are the Most Popular Strong Nicotine Pouches in the EU?

If after reading this article you seek the thrill of a strong nicotine kick, check out this list of some of the best and most popular strong nicotine pouches in the EU!

• VELO X-Strong Series (16mg/g) - As indicated by the name, these nicotine pouches are extra strong! Available in Freeze, a menthol flavour that is an ice-cold slap in the face, and Winter Chill, which combines the same frosty menthol kick with the unique sweetness of wintergreen. The moist contents enable rapid nicotine uptake, but the outside is dry, to prevent unwanted drip.
• Skruf Super White Fresh #5 (26mg/g) - The ultimate extra strong mint tobacco-free snus. Icy, refreshing, and powerful, with a slightly sweet aftertaste. These bad boys contain 18mg of nicotine per pouch, for a seriously strong nicotine experience! Not for the beginner.
• Ace X Cool Mint Slim (20mg/g) - Ace is a very popular brand with a great selection of standard strength flavours. The Ace X range takes it up a notch in nicotine content, with Ace themselves saying “We’ve dipped our pouches in rocket fuel”, this may not be true but it certainly feels like it!

Nicotine Pouch Strength Information for Newbies

It is important to know that stronger is not always better. There are many other aspects of nicotine pouches to enjoy aside from the buzz - like flavour, aroma, mouthfeel, and can-design! The best type of nicotine pouches for beginners should have the following qualities:

• Low in Nicotine - Start with 3mg, if you are not satisfied, then 6mg is a good upper limit.
• Gentle in Flavour - Do not choose intense flavours like menthol and eucalyptus that increase strength. Instead, go for gentle flavours such as coffee and fruits.
• Slim or Mini Format - Starting with a slim or mini nicotine pouch like Nordic Spirit Mini Smooth Mint is a great way to get used to how a nicotine pouch will feel in your lip. Plus, it is much more discreet this way!

Over time, if you decide to dip your toes into the strong nicotine pouch category, that is fine. But for now, take a look at our newbie pouches list that we have put together for you!