Perhaps you’ve noticed that one of the latest trends in the vaping world is synthetic nicotine, with more and more synthetic nicotine products entering the vaping market than ever before. Synthetic nicotine, also known as tobacco-free nicotine, is a type of nicotine that can be added to vape juice to provide the sensation of nicotine in the body without using any actual tobacco molecules. But, is there a cost of synthetic nicotine to our health?
What is the Difference Between Synthetic and “Tobacco-Free” Products?
These terms for vape juice, especially when shopping at a vape shop, can be confusing, as they may or may not mean the same thing depending on the manufacturer. Synthetic nicotine is, in short, nicotine that was formulated in a laboratory, and therefore does not come from the tobacco plant in any way. Tobacco-free nicotine often means the same thing in marketing, although some companies are capitalizing on the synthetic trend by advertising their products as containing “tobacco-free” nicotine despite the nicotine in fact coming from the tobacco plant, while just being 100% free of other tobacco compounds.
The only way to know exactly what you’re getting when you purchase a product that claims to be “tobacco-free” is by asking the manufacturer. As the vaping market evolves, there are all kinds of ways to incorporate nicotine into e-liquid products, and you always have the right to know exactly where your nicotine comes from.
What is Synthetic Nicotine?
Synthetic nicotine is a relatively new invention that has found its way into many vaping products. The goal of synthetic nicotine is to deliver the exact same sensation as traditional nicotine that comes from the tobacco plant. This is done by replicating the nicotine compound through synthetic practices performed by chemists. Synthetic nicotine does not come from the tobacco plant, and therefore it contains zero tobacco derivatives. Instead, it’s produced from nightshade plants like eggplant, tomatoes, and belladonna. Its purpose is to offer an alternative form of nicotine for individuals who wish to completely stay away from tobacco, with a concern that the standard forms of nicotine found in e-liquid contain trace amounts of tobacco-derived compounds.
Is Synthetic Nicotine Safe?
We wish that we could offer references to studies showing the safety of synthetic nicotine, but the reality is that those studies don’t exist — yet. Synthetic nicotine is such a new addition to the vaping market that there just hasn’t been enough time for researchers to get an idea of its short-term and long-term effects on the body. What we can say is that this type of nicotine exactly mimics naturally occurring nicotine in tobacco, so there is more than a good reason to believe that synthetic nicotine does not affect a person any differently than traditional nicotine. Further, there are no other compounds present in synthetic nicotine other than nicotine itself, while tobacco-derived nicotine may contain trace amounts of unwanted nicotine compounds.
We do anticipate that there will be studies on the effects of synthetic nicotine in the near future, as this addition to the market is beginning to take off. For the time being, we can say that many vapers out there are quite satisfied with this unique alternative option.
The Benefits of Synthetic Nicotine E-Juice
Synthetic nicotine e-juice has the main appeal of offering a product that does not contain any tobacco whatsoever. While the nicotine used in e-liquids, whether it be freebase or salt-based nicotine, has been isolated from the tobacco plant’s chemical composition, it’s really hard to offer a 100% purity level, meaning that trace levels of other tobacco compounds likely end up in the final product. It’s easy to argue that these trace amounts are simply not capable of promoting negative effects, but at the same time, we respect any customer’s desire to avoid any tobacco derivative whatsoever, in any occurring amount.
Another argument that synthetic nicotine proponents have is that synthetic nicotine has a cleaner taste, as the possibility of trace tobacco compounds making their way into commonly used nicotine extracts interferes with their flavor. Synthetic nicotine is, by default, 100% pure, and therefore there are no other compounds that could be affecting the flavor of the product.
It’s important for us to point out that customers who choose synthetic nicotine over tobacco-derived nicotine find that it affects them in an identical way. It’s becoming more and more clear that this type of nicotine completely satisfies customers’ nicotine cravings just as efficiently, offering the same buzz that vapers are used to along with the same throat hit quality and overall impact on feelings of satisfaction. This means that if you do switch to synthetic nicotine, it’s unlikely that you’ll have to deal with an adjustment to a new ingredient, or experience decreased satisfaction of your cravings each time you vape.
Is Synthetic Nicotine E-Juice Covered by FDA Regulations?
Interestingly, synthetic nicotine e-juices are not subjected to FDA regulations. This is, quite simply, due to the fact that synthetic nicotine is such a new invention that there has not been enough time for it to gain FDA approval. This is important to note because until now, all vaping products were subjected to the same FDA regulations as cigarettes because vaping products strictly contained tobacco-derived nicotine, which meant that their classification according to the FDA was that of tobacco products, which are all regulated in the same way. Because synthetic nicotine is not tobacco-derived, it cannot be regulated as a tobacco product, which can dramatically change the way in which synthetic nicotine products can be marketed and manufactured.
Now, bear in mind that just because synthetic nicotine is not regulated by the FDA does not mean that it’s not regulated at all. Companies that make synthetic nicotine e-liquids must comply with cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) standards and do test their synthetic nicotine batches to ensure purity and non-contamination. Vaping companies who work with synthetic nicotine understand the importance of providing customers with products that have been tested and made with high-quality standards and are generally happy to adhere to consumer expectations and demands.