How much nicotine is in different tobacco products?
We're usually asked how much nicotine exists in different nicotine products because people want to calculate what nicotine pouch is suitable for them. They're also trying to understand the health implications of the pouch. Just to reiterate: nicotine pouches contain no tobacco. We make our pouches from extracted nicotine, which means all the combustible (i.e. burning) tobacco issues are not present. The primary health problems from smoking are not caused by nicotine but by carcinogens and tar in the smoke.- Cigarettes typically contain between 7 milligrams to 20 milligrams
- Large cigars contain between 13 to 20 milligrams of nicotine
- Cigarillos and mini-cigarillos contain between 11 to 13.0 milligrams
- Pipe tobacco cigars contain around 8 to 10 milligrams of nicotine
- 45 minutes on a Hookah pipe is roughly the same as one pack of cigarettes in nicotine and tar content
Nicotine products vs nicotine absorption
It's also important to remember that not all the nicotine content of a tobacco product is inhaled (mainly due to cigarette burning and your body's absorption rate). Instead, you're likely to inhale about a tenth of the total milligrams of nicotine, so approximately one to two milligrams per cigarette.There's also the pH level of the tobacco or nicotine product to consider. Have you ever smoked a cigar and found its effects to be much more intense than cigarettes? That's due, in part, to the pH level of your cigar. They are often much less acidic (and so more alkaline), enabling the absorption of nicotine and raising its physiological effects. Other factors that affect absorption rates are:
- Your body's metabolism
- The frequency of use
- Your body's resistance to nicotine
How much nicotine is in a cigarette?
A typical cigarette contains between 7 and 20 milligrams of nicotine. However, only about 1mg is absorbed into the body. The nicotine content in a smoker's bloodstream is more to do with how frequently they smoke than any brand. The supplemental chemicals and additives in cigarettes are used to deliver nicotine as fast as possible to the bloodstream but don't particularly increase absorption rates.
How much nicotine is in a cigar?
Cigars, the big older brother of cigarettes, are rolls of tobacco wrapped in leaf tobacco (while cigarettes are usually tobacco wrapped in paper). They vary widely in terms of strength. Some prefer the full-bodied, intense flavour, whereas others want a milder yet pleasing sensation.
Cigars strength is typically defined in the same way as a fine wine: mild, medium and full. However, this description isn't about the taste or flavour – a mild cigar may have as much flavour as a full cigar – but instead, it indicates how much nicotine the cigar holds. These amounts are usually between:
Mild: 10-13mg of nicotine per cigar
Medium: 14-17mg of nicotine per cigar
Full: 18-24mg of nicotine per cigar
How much nicotine is in a vaping device?
Nicotine levels vary by cigarette brand and juice. Stronger cigarettes contain around 12 mg of nicotine. Assuming a juice in a 4 ml tank contains 3 mg/ml, one tank equals a single cigarette. Nicotine salts have much higher nicotine levels, but 25 mg/ml nicotine salt product equates to two cigarettes using the same calculations.
How much nicotine is in Juul pods in the UK?
Juul pods are available in the UK in two different strengths: 9mg/l and 18mg/l, which averages around 5% more nicotine. As mentioned with vaping, the absorption of nicotine is much higher (roughly two to three times greater) in the vape form than smoke. Studies report that the amount of nicotine the body absorbs in a single Juul cartridge is roughly equivalent to the amount in a pack of cigarettes.
How much nicotine is in nicotine gum?
Nicotine gum is often available in two strengths (2mg and 4mg). However, similar to other nicotine products, the body's absorption rates are much less (approximately 50 to 70% for the 2 and 4mg gum, respectively). These low absorption rates explain why many people use up to 24 pieces per day (those poor constantly moving jaws!) or use a mixture of nicotine patches and nicotine gum.
How much nicotine is in a nicotine patch?
A nicotine patch is an adhesive sticker placed on the skin for either 16 or 24 hours, releasing nicotine into the bloodstream through absorption through the skin. Nicotine patches are typically used by people who are trying to stop smoking and are recommended through NRT (nicotine replacement therapy). We've yet to meet anyone who has gone from being a non-smoker to using nicotine patches, but there's always a first for everything!
The 24-hour patches are usually of a lower concentration as they release more nicotine over an extended period. They're available in 7mg, 14mg and 21mg concentrations and the bioavailability (or absorption) is around 77%.
How much nicotine is in a nicotine pouch?
Our studies suggest that over the 30 minutes that you use a pouch, you absorb approximately 30% of the nicotine available in the product, meaning that you would expect to absorb roughly 2mg of nicotine from a nicotine pouch that contains 6mg of nicotine.
&BOOST+ 15mg
Many of our fans requested an extra-strength pouch for seasoned pouchers, so we designed BOOST+ with a potent 15mg of nicotine.
&BOOST 10mg
At 10mg, &BOOST packs an intense kick for heightened relaxation that lasts.
&FOCUS 6mg
Containing an average of 6mg nicotine &FOCUS is flawless in supporting concentration and sharpening your centre of attention when you need it most.
Is nicotine addictive?
Yes, nicotine is an addictive substance. When taken, nicotine is rapidly absorbed into your bloodstream and affects the brain within 10 to 20 seconds. It activates a series of chemical reactions that create sensations of concentration, relaxation and pleasure. The addiction is physical, which means people who use nicotine often desire the chemical and the mental or habitual elements.
What strength nicotine pouch should I use?
Our pouches come in a variety of strengths, and each one is made for distinct users who want to get different sensations. So, where do you start?
If you're a heavy smoker (20+ cigarettes a day), we'd recommend starting with a higher nicotine concentration.
If it feels too intense, a lower strength might be what you need, but we recommend starting at a low strength and seeing what works for you.
Further reading
EMC, 2019: Nicotine Transdermal Patches: bioavailabilityhttps://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/390/smpc#gref
Nature, 2014: Nicotine absorption from electronic cigarette use: comparison between first and new-generation devices: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep04133
BMJ, 2017: Filter ventilation and nicotine content of tobacco in cigarettes from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States:
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Filter-ventilation-and-nicotine-content-of-tobacco-Kozlowski-Mehta/363ac2df50468d6aa91e074413430505412cdf6f?p2df
