How to Interpret Nicotine Strength By Snusexpress

Snus and nicotine pouches are both available in a variety of strengths. When browsing for snus and nicotine pouches, you will often see mg/g or mg/pouch values, which refer to the milligrams per gram or portion of nicotine content. Whilst the interpretation of nicotine strength is relatively simple once you are familiar with it, multiple factors can influence the actual strength and perceived strength of a portion!

Understanding the Nicotine Strength Label

As mentioned in the introduction, the strength of a nicotine pouch or snusexpress product can be determined by the mg/g or mg/portion value. These values are often seen on the can and/or the product description on our website to help you determine which our strongest pouches are. Alongside these values, most products also feature a visual indication of strength, usually a series of dots, or a line scale. These visual indicators of strength are bold and striking, making them hard to miss and easier to interpret. To interpret the strength by the label, you should understand that more dots, or a long line, equals a higher nicotine content. As a rule of thumb for dotted scales ranging from 1 to 4, 1 would equal light and 4 would equal extra-strong, with medium and strong in-between. The same goes for a line scale, the further the distance of the line that is filled with color, the higher the strength.

It should also be noted that the nicotine strength label can vary in strength indication from brand to brand. Whilst one brand may have a range of products from 6mg to 15mg per portion, with the 6mg (light) strength represented as 1 dot and 15mg (strong) as 4 dots, another brand may dose their weakest product at 10mg/ and their strongest at 25mg, using a similar visual scale. For this reason, it is important to also look at and understand mg/pouch and mg/gram values, as these are often the most reliable indication of nicotine strength.

A further point to consider is the difference between mg/g and mg/pouch. You may see that a product is dosed at 18mg/g and think that this is far too strong, however, the reality is that the mg of nicotine present in the portion is most likely less, say 9mg. This disparity in values between grams and portions is due to the fact that the weight of the portion will often be less than a gram, therefore containing less nicotine than per gram.

Factors That Affect Nicotine Strength

Aside from milligram measurements and visual scales, there are also other factors that can influence the strength of snus and nicotine pouch products. We will look at such factors now.

1. PH Values – This may sound a bit too scientific for the simple concept of strength, but pH values can affect the strength of a portion, regardless of its total nicotine content. Ever put in a portion rated at regular strength and been pleasantly (or unpleasantly) surprised by the nicotine kick? The pH value of the contents may account for this. PH is a measure of acidity or alkalinity of a solution, ranging from 0 to 14, with 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. When it comes to snus and nicotine pouches, a higher pH allows for greater nicotine absorption and vice versa. This is why you may have come across ‘acidity regulators’ or ‘pH regulators’ when looking at the ingredients on the tin, as the pH of the product can determine the potency of it and is therefore important to regulate.
2. Flavoring – Surprisingly, the flavoring used in nicotine pouches and snus can increase the strength that you perceive these products to be. Menthol is a flavor that is most known for this, as it provides a cooling and slight burning sensation in tandem with the release of nicotine, contributing to the overall higher perceived strength of the product. It is common practice for nicotine pouch and snus developers to include intense flavors in their products to heighten the kick, without going overboard on the nicotine content. Jalapeño & lime, eucalyptus, and whisky are good examples. In contrast, flavors such as licorice or mint without menthol are often sweeter and more mellow, making for a gentler experience, sometimes even at a higher mg/pouch or mg/g rating!
3. Moisture Content – You may have noticed that for snus, there is a choice in portion material, including original portion, white portion, and white dry portion. Whilst these different portions mainly determine the feel under the lip and the speed and duration of flavor release, they also contribute to the strength of the portion. Original portions are the moistest which means that the flavor is released the fastest, but lasts for the least time, and ‘drip’ (saliva and snus contents) is often present. The high moisture content of an original pouch also means that the nicotine is released quicker than that of a dryer portion, for example white, or white dry.
4. Nicotine Solution - The final point to consider in nicotine strength is the type of nicotine used in the product. This is mostly relevant to nicotine pouches, which often contain nicotine salts that are extracted from the tobacco leaf, and then distilled. Nicotine salts are absorbed faster than freebase nicotine, enabling the user to feel a faster and prolonged hit. Snus products usually feature nicotine that is just from the tobacco leaf in the portion itself, meaning the uptake is slower than that of nicotine salt-containing nicotine pouches. Therefore, some users report feeling a greater buzz from a nicotine pouch that is dosed the same as a snus portion.

Hopefully, by now you feel fully equipped to interpret the nicotine strength label and understand what factors can affect strength!