Why Strength Matters More Than People Realize

During the early 2020s, as nicotine pouches began to really accelerate in most Western consumer markets, strength levels rose. Manufacturers produced flavor upon flavor, but it was within the strengths that competition separated. Some brands stayed true to their original strengths, avoiding the wild-west strength gunfight. But some pushed the envelope on strength to the limit, raising regulatory eyebrows in the process. Some products boosted the nicotine content to as high as 150mg, over 10 times the standard strength of a cigarette.

The question is, was it necessary?

The growth of the strongest nicotine pouches was as quick as their demise. The stabilization of nicotine strengths to nearly one-third of the previous strongest was inevitable. Still, during the good ol’ days, there was a snus culture among us strength-chasers. Albeit a culture of stupidity for most of us. Strength matters, but not to the extent some brands took it.

Perceived Strength vs Actual Strength

Experience tells us that nicotine pouches are not always what they say on the tin. So many products have failed to meet consumer expectations at higher levels. Likewise, some milder pouches have knocked the socks off some users. The actual strength is the nicotine milligram level recorded by the manufacturers. The perceived strength is how nicotine actually feels in real-world usage. Nicotine Pouches are arguably still in their infancy as a product, despite obvious electrifying growth. While that is a commercial benefit, it also means there’s a profound level of miseducation online. So, for people new to nicotine pouches, running searches about strength suitability, it can go either way; too weak for your own personal needs, or way too strong.

Factoring Lifestyle Against Product

I want to touch on the importance of factoring in your lifestyle, because it could make all the difference as to which snus is right for you. If you are a current smoker or someone who vapes at higher mg levels, some products will not suit you. Conversely, if you are someone entirely new to nicotine and you choose the wrong product, you may never use nicotine again (not that that isn’t a bad thing). But, as we move into this article further, you will come to understand more about the strengths and how they can be married to your lifestyle. 

What Snus Strengths Even Mean: The Truth Behind The Numbers

Nicotine strengths can be somewhat confusing for new users. I have spoken to so many customers who have exclusively started using nicotine pouches as their first form of nicotine. In my conversations, I have been surprised by the lack of understanding of the variety of strength levels. Getting more granular and discussing mg, or mg/g with our new guys, the conversation is entirely one-way. For context, mg/g is the total amount of nicotine per gram, mg is the nicotine strength, and mg per pouch is the nicotine in each pouch. But what does that mean to a new user? Absolutely nothing most of the time! When people buy snus online, many fail to find a viable product. Most conversations I have had show that people buy based on the image or the sound of the product.

Imagine going to a car showroom as a learner driver with an unlimited budget. Now imagine picking out an Audi RS7 as your learner car because it looked nice. You are liable to find yourself traveling off the side of a highway somewhere. The car would be too powerful for you without some level of driving experience. The same can be said of snus. Your unlimited budget for a can of snus can buy you anything, but is it the right thing to do? Something too weak won’t touch the sides, and something too strong could leave you feeling nauseous and queasy.

Considering All Factors to Use Strong Snus

Seems crazy that we have to talk about factors in something so small as colorful nicotine pouches. But, it is necessary. Behind the cans, despite all the excellent marketing, there is substance. Even more importantly, nicotine can yield truly remarkable or downright hostile experiences. So, considering all of the factors is as important as mud for you to have a great experience every time. 

The Right Nicotine Strength

Keeping with my car showroom analogy, the same is true for overall strength. Some brands can take you from zero to one hundred pretty quickly, but that one hundred is always capped at the overall nicotine strength. So, regardless of how long it takes to get there, choosing the high-strength pouches could be overwhelming on your system. The right nicotine strength will typically align with your overall nicotine tolerance. If you have had some exposure to nicotine, in the form of vaping or smoking, then choosing pouches at 25mg should be okay. But if you are entirely new to nicotine, then 25mg could be too much for you, so lighter introductions would be recommended. My first pouch was a 43mg Siberia, which rendered me to sleep at a restaurant table. While it was fun for the boys to sit with me, it was too much for my system at that time.

The Right Nicotine Strength Per Pouch

Just because a can may show 50mg doesn’t mean the strength per pouch is 50mg. Pablo is one of the main culprits, due to its popularity, for this. That is why using Pablo at 50mg can be a completely different experience to using CUBA Black Line, despite them sounding similar in strength. Pablo is 30mg per pouch, in the 50mg range. It is crucial, especially for new users, to look at the strength per pouch before choosing snus. Ultimately, the strength per pouch is some indicator of what you can expect from each pouch.

Understanding the Impact of Flavor

Flavors impact on the traveling of nicotine, in my opinion. It is generally known that mint flavors are usually stronger than other flavors. For the most part, users seeking strength in abundance tend to opt for mint flavors. Without any scientific basis, there is something about the mint's freshness in the gum that amplifies the snus's strength in most products. 

Nicotine Curve 

The nicotine curve is the speed at which nicotine travels, which is a different conversation to how long the nicotine lasts. Each brand and product is slightly different in the speed in which they deliver. In most VELO products, the nicotine curve is more gradual and well-balanced. Compare that with a product like CUBA Black Ice Spearmint, and you will find one of the most aggressive nicotine curves on the market. There is no reason to say that either is better than the other; performance is subjective to the user. Some people may enjoy the rugged edges of accelerated nicotine curves, and some may prefer the slower, more gradual approach. But it is imperative to consider the curve, as it can make or break your enjoyment, regardless of the overall strength.

Combining Stacks to Match Time of Day

Some snus will feel stronger at different times of the day, depending on what you are doing. One of the most significant impacts is your hydration levels. That morning snus, when you reach over half asleep and crack the can, can be the hardest-hitting of the day. Your body is dehydrated after hours asleep, and so the nicotine curve is generally more aggressive, and so is the total impact strength. As someone who has used nicotine pouches for so long, I understand which products suit me best at different times of the day. As a result, I tend to use different strength levels, with varying curves of nicotine, at other times of the day. I have found that mixing my products allows me to have my expected experience from every pouch, every time.

Negating Strength With Water 

If all else fails, and you are struggling with the strength of the nicotine from your pouch, you can negate the effects. Water is your all-important jousting bat to combat any adverse effects from using a pouch too strong for you. The calming effects on the system are largely overlooked. In the early days, when strengths were wild, I would position myself on the sofa with a large bottle of water while I waited for the nicotine effects. Many times, I felt the nicotine surge too much to handle, so I drowned it with water, relaxing my body from the rushes.