Salt nicotine utilizes complex chemistry to create a form of nicotine that can make it more comfortable to consume high doses of nicotine in one sitting.

Alternatives to traditional cigarettes, such as e-cigarettes, saw a large rise in popularity in the first two decades of the 2000s. When manufacturers introduced e-cigarettes, many people often thought they were much safer and healthier than standard cigarettes. In fact, they used e-cigarettes, or vapes, to quit smoking.

Today, people may know that e-cigarettes aren’t healthy and that they can put someone at risk of serious health conditions. But there’s still conflicting information about e-cigarettes, and some people still believe they’re healthier.

The truth is that salt nicotine can be harmful to your health, just like other forms of e-cigarette liquid and nicotine itself.

Salt nicotine, also called nicotine salts, is a solution e-cigarette manufacturers create when combining a nicotine base with one or more acids.

The manufacturers use this technique to make vape liquids with higher nicotine concentrations that won’t burn the throat. High pH balances, or alkalinity, may cause throat burning when smoking nicotine products. Standard vaping involves using freebase nicotine. It has a pH balance between 7 and 8.

Creating nicotine salts reduces the pH balance, leading to less irritation. This allows users to vape higher doses comfortably, which can increase the risk of experiencing negative side effects.

Salt nicotine delivers a higher nicotine concentration to your body at once. The exact dose depends on how much you use and on the brand. Regardless of the exact dose, you can expect more intense effects than with standard cigarettes or vapes.

For many people, the side effects of nicotine are mild. But some people may experience the effects faster and stronger than when they vape, especially if they feel sensitive to them.

Experts have hypothesized that the body can absorb salt nicotine faster, but the current research on this is inconclusive.

Learn more about nicotine poisoning.

It might be inaccurate to say that salt nicotine is worse than cigarettes. But it might also be inaccurate to claim that salt nicotine, or any e-cigarette or vape product, is safer or healthier than cigarettes.

Although vaping, including using nicotine salts, doesn’t involve tobacco, it still puts nicotine into your body. The American Cancer Society shares that nicotine is harmful on its own. It can affect your heart and lungs and increase the risk of seizures. A great healthy option is to avoid smoking altogether.

Changing your relationship with nicotine

Quitting smoking is one of the great steps you can take to improve your health. It can feel overwhelming to take that step, but you can turn to resources for help. When you’re ready, you can look into:

  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA) Hotline: You can contact SAMHSA to connect to local services such as treatment programs and support. Help is available 27/7 in English and Spanish, and you can access it by calling 1-800-622-HELP (4357) or using their online locator.
  • Smokefree.gov: Smokefree.gov has various resources designed to help guide people in the United States on every step of their smoke-free journeys. They offer general guidance and plans tailored to specific populations such as women, teens, veterans, and adults older than 60.
  • The National Texting Portal: You can text QUITNOW to 333-888 anytime for free support and advice designed to help you quit smoking from this text line offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute.
  • The quitSTART app: For more support from your phone, you can check out the quitSTART app and use it to track your progress and manage cravings. The app also offers free motivation challenges and games to help you along the way. The app is available in the Apple and Google Play stores.

Nicotine salts are liquid e-cigarette fluid for vaping. The fluid forms by mixing freebase nicotine and acids. This creates a solution with more nicotine but a lower pH.

It allows for a high nicotine concentration that doesn’t cause a throat-burning sensation for the smoker. Nicotine salts can cause people to experience side effects faster and stronger than when they vape.

Just like all forms of vaping, salt nicotine isn’t a safe alternative to standard cigarette smoking. Although you don’t breathe in tobacco when you use salt nicotine, you take in nicotine, and nicotine can have harmful health effects.

Quitting smoking altogether is a great way to take care of your health and reduce your risk of various health conditions.