Freebase Nicotine Vs. Nic Salt

There are two forms of nicotine used in e-liquids: Freebase nicotine and nic salt. Both forms of nicotine have their advantages. In this article, we’ve covered the differences between the two to help you decide which form of nicotine is right for you: 

Key Takeaways

• Nic salts were invented in 2015 to provide a smoother throat hit at higher concentrations of nicotine.

• Freebase nicotine has been used in cigarettes and other products since the 1960s.

• Nic salts and freebase nicotine are absorbed differently; humans react more quickly to nic salts.

• Nic salts are available in higher concentrations than freebase nicotine.

• Freebase nicotine offers better flavour and higher cloud production.

• Freebase is usually vaped with box mods, while nic salts are common in pod systems and disposables.

• When it comes to deciding between salt nic vs. freebase nicotine, there’s no one right answer; it depends on your preferences.

What Are Nic Salts?

Nicotine salts (known simply as nic salts) are a type of salt formed between nicotine and an acid. Salt is nicotine’s natural form in tobacco leaves; people who are used to smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products have smoked nicotine salts.

The specific type of nic salt we talk about in the vaping world is something completely different—chemically altered nicotine that was designed to allow for higher concentrations of nicotine in vape juice. This type of salt nic was invented by the team at JUUL, which added benzoic acid to freebase nicotine (we’ll explain what that means in the next section).

The result was a new type of nicotine salt—the salt nic we know today—that offered a smoother hit, increased absorption, and more stable nicotine that could be vaped at lower temperatures. This allowed JUUL (and subsequently, its competitors) to formulate higher-strength e-liquids.

The Differences Between Freebase And Salt-Based Nicotine

*Though the maximum manufactured strength of salt nic is about 50 mg/mL, in Canada, the maximum nicotine concentration allowed is 20 mg/mL

Freebase nicotine has been around since the 1960s. The process for creating freebase nicotine involves chemically treating tobacco leaves with ammonia or another base; the result is nicotine that is more volatile (easier to smoke or vapourize), and more bioavailable (making it more potent and easier for the body to absorb).

When vapes came onto the market, freebase nicotine was already the standard—it had been used in cigarettes for decades, and vape manufacturers were looking to emulate the experience of smoking a cigarette. 

The main problem with freebase nicotine is that it produces a harsher throat hit because of its relatively high pH. This meant that vape juice manufacturers could only reach nicotine strengths of about 12 mg/mL before their products became too harsh for most vapers.

Salt nic has a pH that’s near neutral; this means that manufacturers can create products with a strength of up to 50 mg/mL before the juice becomes too harsh for most consumers. 

The Amount Of Nicotine In Freebase And Nic Salts

The amount of nicotine in salt-nic-based juices is practically capped at around 50 mg/mL. Here in Canada, it is also legally capped at 20 mg/mL. In contrast, the maximum practical nicotine concentration for freebase juices is about 12 mg/mL.

Converting Freebase And Nic Salts

At first glance, converting the strength of freebase nicotine to the strength of nic salts seems easy enough—3 mg/mL of freebase is the same as 3 mg/mL of nic salt because the concentration of nicotine is the same.

That’s true, but it comes with a caveat—you may experience nicotine in nic salt form differently than freebase nicotine. Nic salts are more bioavailable, which means they’re absorbed by your body more quickly than freebase nicotine. This can lead to a faster, more intense experience—even at the same concentration.

Choosing The Right Nicotine Product For You

Vaping nic salts can produce a very different experience than vaping freebase nicotine. Determining which form of nicotine is right for you depends on what you’re looking for from a product. Here are a few questions you can ask to help you choose the right product for your needs:

How much do you care about flavour? Freebase nicotine juice is better for complex flavour profiles. There are plenty of tasty nic salt e-liquids, but if you’re trying to maximize flavour, freebase is the way to vape.

How much are you trying to emulate a traditional cigarette? The smoother throat hit of salt nic means you can get more nicotine in each hit—but cigarettes use freebase nicotine, and that means a harsher throat hit. A lot of smokers like a harsher throat hit; if that’s you, you might want to go for freebase nicotine.

How quickly do you want the nicotine to enter your system? Both freebase nicotine and nic salts act quickly—but nic salt does absorb faster.

How strong are your nicotine cravings? When you’re used to smoking a lot of cigarettes every day, nicotine salt can be preferable because it’s available in higher concentrations. 

How do you want to vape? Many disposable vapes and pod system vapes use nic salt-based e-liquids; they’re typically the most convenient way to vape. When you want to make your own box mod, on the other hand, freebase may be the way to go (more on that next).

Are you a cloud-chaser? When you want to sub-ohm vape, you need freebase nicotine; sub-ohm vapes get too hot for nic salts, which can lead to incredibly harsh hits and weird, burnt flavours.

Do you vape mouth-to-lung (MTL) or direct-to-lung (DTL)? Nicotine salt e-liquid can only be vaped MTL; freebase nicotine, on the other hand, can be vaped MTL or DTL.

These are just a few of the questions you can ask yourself to determine which form of nicotine is right for you. Not sure whether you should opt for nic salt or freebase? Visit one of our locations today; we can help you choose the right product for your needs.

Order Your Vape With Cold Turkey

At Cold Turkey Vape Shop, we sell vapes in Canada, including vapes that are designed for nic salts and vapes that are designed for freebase nicotine. Order your vape with us today!