Nicotine Salt E-Juice and Pod Mods – My Experience

In this article I will be discussing several topics concerning Nicotine Salt E-juice. I have questions, and I have some answers. But mostly, I’m watching a new segment of the vaping industry take off like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It is exciting, it is effective, and it is finally being taken seriously.

As someone that has enjoyed my Pod device and Nic-Salt eLiquid, I honestly believe that this new method of vaping is not a gimmick. Not by a long shot. Instead, the nic-salt e-juice products, both the juice and the low wattage Pod devices used for vaping them need a bright light shone down on them even more than they are.

Pod devices and nic-salt e-juice are not a cure-all, be-all, it’s still a specialty segment, but one that will grow larger, and faster, than many realize.

I’d like to talk about some important topics concerning nicotine salt e-juice and their delivery methods. I’m thinking you might have some questions. Questions like; “is it safe, is it addictive, and exactly who should use Nicotine Salt e-juice.” I think I can answer them, and a few more.

Unfortunately, there is a little bit of science involved down below, but very little compared to other pieces on Nicotine Salt E-juice you may have read before finding this one. Hopefully I can keep you here by keeping the science to a minimum.

The very nature of any type of nicotine, be it freebased nicotine (nicotine found in all our favorite e-juices), TFN (nicotine from a lab), or nicotine salts, begs a question about safety.

The truth is, nicotine salt e-juice is as safe to use as any freebase or TFN e-juice. That is to say, nicotine alone is not the biggest culprit, it never has been, it’s the additives mixed with nicotine in the cigarette industry that for decades have has given nicotine a black eye in the civilized world.

Nicotine salt e-juice affects the body in the same way as any other types of nicotine-based e-juice. In the real world, there are zero differences when it comes to risks. For some people, nicotine is beneficial, to others it can be something else.

That said, if you are using some type of nicotine now, without ill effects, there is no reason to avoid nicotine salt e-liquid. But don’t stop reading here to rush out and buy a bottle to use in your Sub-Ohm Tank. There is more to nic-salt eliquid than I’ve touched on so far.

Benzoic Acid, having the word “acid” in the name is already a stressor. So, let’s take the scariness of Benzoic Acid off the table right now.

Benzoic acid is vital to making nicotine salt e-juice viable (stable and worth vaping). It hasn’t been found to be toxic to humans in several studies. Most importantly; It is not a carcinogen.

But then again, according to this paper I was sent a link to just yesterday, Benzoic Acid and Human Health Effects, the tests on benzoic acid is based on its ingestion, rather than its inhalation.

Regardless, that’s what people have said for years about flavorings that are used in processed foods. Ingesting flavorings is fine they say but inhaling it when used in an e-liquid, maybe not. (pish-bosh)

After several years, the vape industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar business, yet there is still zero evidence that flavorings harm Vapers in any meaningful way, not to mention that without the wonderful flavors in e-liquids, vaping would be incredibly boring… about as boring as smoking. No one wants that.

My point is, the method used to create viable nicotine salt e-juice is no more a bother than using flavorings to create our favorite eliquids.

Even if there were miniscule risks with inhaling benzoic acid in a nic-salt e-juice blend, vaping nicotine salt e-liquid is still, without a doubt, safer… much, much safer, than smoking cigarettes.

Benzoic acid is not a carcinogen, and even ingesting levels 1000 times higher than a Vaper would receive while vaping, it has caused no harm. I don’t know about you, but I’m comfortable with that.

The idea of vaping with nicotine salt e-liquid is that the Vaper will vape a lot less than he or she would when vaping eliquid made with freebase nicotine. So, in that sense, nicotine salt e-juice is safer than ordinary e-juice, just maybe not as fun for the cloud chucker.

As far as Nicotine Salt E-juice being addictive? When used as an additive in e-liquid, yes, it can be addictive, like any form of nicotine found in e-liquid.

It seems that Nicotine salt e-liquid is popular with many vapers because it’s said to be much more satisfying than vaping with ordinary e-liquid. The main reason for this is that Nicotine Salt E-Juice contains much higher levels of nicotine, 20mg to start, all the way to 59mg. Now, for myself, as nic-sale e-juice user, I will say that based on the amount I used to vape with freebase eliquid, and the amount I vape now with nicotine salt e-juice, the satisfaction is the same.

That said, nicotine salt e-juice is indeed smooth on the throat (meaning a softer throat hit) than the regular nicotine used in most e-liquids. A salt based nicotine e-juice is easier to inhale as well, and the Vaper receives a higher amount of nicotine in each pull from the electronic cigarette Pod system.

As a tool for smokers trying to break the smoking habit, vaping with a system made for nicotine salt e-liquid is supposed to be satisfying enough that the “smoker” has no need to light up a cigarette. I quit smoking years ago with a conventional mod, atomizer, and eliquid, so I cannot attest first-hand to this, but I believe it based on what I know now.

When I first began vaping, with ego batteries and clearomizers, the nicotine levels in my e-liquids we as high as a 24mg. Before my Pod system and nic-sale juice, with my high-wattage Mod and low-resistance Sub-Ohm tank, my nicotine level was 3mg.

The reason for this low amount of freebase nicotine e-juice is that the high wattage and low resistance coils create enormous amounts of vapor, and if the nicotine were any higher the throat hit would sting like hell, and I would overconsume the nicotine in minutes. Nicotine salt e-juice is made to use in specialized vaping instruments.

Nicotine salt is the natural form of nicotine that is found in tobacco leaves. The nicotine salts in those leaves are not just nicotine. Instead, they are “compounds” that contain nicotine and another organic components. Together, these compounds create a stable molecule. For more information about the natural state of nicotine salt in tobacco leaves, check out “Understanding the Emerging Nicotine Salt Trend”. it contains an interesting story about Marlboro cigarettes, and being bioavailable.

The form of nicotine used in today’s e-liquid is called “freebase nicotine”. This is nicotine that is not bonded to any other compound. For years it has been considered the preferable type of nicotine for vaping because it is an easily vaporized form of nicotine.

While you could use any Mod and atomizer to vape nic-salt eliquid, I strongly advise against it.

Today, there are dozens of eliquid brands selling nicotine salt e-juice. Like freebase nicotine eliquids, nic-salt e-juice is available in lots of different flavors and nicotine strengths that should satisfy most Vapers.

Vaping nicotine salt e-juice requires a lot less wattage then what many of us are used to. This is the reason the “Pod” mods have taken off in the marketplace. JUUL, made by Pax Labs, is the first pod system to hit it big, and their prefilled pods contain nic-salt eliquids with 59mg of nicotine…yet the pull from a JUUL and other similar pod systems are as smooth as silk.

I use a JUUL myself, and I find that I vape about a quarter as much as my office mates here Spinfuel VAPE. But, in my zeal to explore the whole Nicotine Salt E-Juice and Pod System mini-industry, I will be working with Vapor Authority to test and review some of the best Pod systems and nic-salt e-juices. My findings will be published here.

Because I’ve been vaping with my JUUL for a few months, I strongly recommended that if this if your first foray into nic-salt ejuice and Pod systems, to start with a lower nicotine strength that the JUUL Pods can’t deliver (JUUL Pods have 5% nicotine, or 50mg).  If you’ve ever experienced the severely unpleasant feelings of overconsumption of nicotine you know it is a very uncomfortable ordeal.

Nicotine Salt E-Juice is more expensive (for now) than freebase eliquids. In addition, the 30mL bottle is back big time in the nic-salt ejuice offerings. For instance, Vapor Authority carries several Naked100 Nic-Salt versions for $19.99, in 30mL bottles. Naked 100 offers a 30mg and 50mg nic-salt strength. (start with 30 if you’re new to this) My first reviews for nic-salt e-juice will hopefully be the Naked100 brand because I adore their freebase nicotine flavors.

My initial review won’t be for the JUUL Pod system, but instead it will be something like the Suorin Air Starter ($19.99) or the Suorin Drop Starter Kit ($29.99)

While I prefer to fill my own Pods, there are several brands that sell prefilled Pods with nic-salt e-juice, like JUUL.

My sold purpose of writing this piece today was to pique your interest in this new, burgeoning market for nicotine salt e-juice. I believe the best chance a hard-core smoker has of quitting tobacco for good is with a Pod system and nic-salt e-juice.

However, if you were to step into the main common area of Spinfuel VAPE it would remind you of a Speakeasy; so thick with vapor! Tom, John, Dave, Julia, and even Keira, are heavy Vapers and they all LOVE the low resistance sub-ohm tanks and the high wattage mods. To them, there is nothing more satisfying that kicking back and throwing huge clouds of vapor from their desks. They too could benefit from switching to a Pod system and nic-salt e-liquid, but that means giving up heavy vaping and chucking clouds, something I doubt they would ever do.

So, in the end, what does nicotine salt e-juice offer? Why switch from freebase nicotine juice to these more expensive e-juices? Excluding my co-workers, who have no interest in the benefits of nic-salt or Pod systems, I’ve come up with a few solid reasons for smokers, or Vapers that are just not feeling satisfied with their gear, juice, and the amount of vaping they do.

Nicotine Salt E-Juice gets into your bloodstream faster than freebase eliquid.

Using high-nicotine strengths from nic-salt juices won’t smash in the back of your throat.

Vapers can use low wattage mods and tanks

Nic-Salt e-Juice lasts a lot longer because you won’t vape as much.

The battery life of your low wattage mod will last much longer.

Lastly, nicotine salt e-juice isn’t the right way to go for every vaper. If you’re like my co-workers and you love huge clouds, you won’t enjoy nic-salt e-juice or Pod systems as your all-day-every-day method of vaping, though it could be fun once and a while.

As a tool for smokers who have tried quitting a thousand times and have even tried taking up vaping, Pod systems and nic-salt ejuice could very well be exactly what the doctor ordered.

While this method of vaping is still in its infancy, it is growing faster than I had ever thought it would. My co-workers used to give me a hard time about my JUUL because it didn’t fit the profile of their type of Vaper. But now, they realize there are potentially millions of smokers that can, and will, benefit with method.

As I begin my journey into more Pod systems and expanding my range of Nicotine Salt E-Juices, I would love to hear from anyone that may have already traveled down this road. Do you have suggestions on what brands of devices and e-liquids I should be reviewing? Can you offer any tips to smokers that want to finally stop smoking by way of the Pod and Nic-Salt? Let me know in the comments below.

Melanie Hendrix