Nicotine and Nicotine Salts
Nicotine is a highly addictive stimulant and also a naturally occurring
toxic chemical found in tobacco plants. 13 Almost all ENDS products
contain nicotine. 14
Some key points about nicotine:
The brain is developing until the age of 25. Nicotine can have long‐lasting effects
on brain development, making it harder to concentrate, learn, and control
impulses.
Youth who expose their brain to nicotine are more likely to use other substances.
Since ENDS have only been on the market since 2006, the products have not been
around long enough to determine the extent to which they may be harmful to users
in the long run. 15
Nicotine salts, also known as nic salt, are comprised of the same nicotine found in
its natural state in tobacco leaves. Nicotine salts are made by mixing pure nicotine with
certain kinds of acids, which reduces the PH level of the nicotine solution, resulting in less
irritation. This means you can vape higher nicotine salt strengths with a smoother hit.
Nicotine salt e‐liquid enters the bloodstream faster than traditional e‐liquid. 24
O THER T OBACCO P RODUCTS O VERVIEW
Despite the progress we’ve made, tobacco is still the leading cause of
preventable deaths in the United States. Worldwide, tobacco kills
6,000,000 people every year, which equals 16,000 people every day or 1
person every second. 16
All tobacco products contain nicotine, an addictive drug that is a
stimulant, and is naturally found in tobacco. 13 Today’s manufactured,
commercial tobacco also has hundreds of added ingredients designed to make the
products more user‐friendly and addictive. 16
These tobacco companies have added:
More nicotine to the products,
Chemicals to increase how fast the nicotine reaches the brain, and
Ingredients like sugar to make tobacco smoke easier to inhale.
Cigarettes
Contain ~600 ingredients. When burned, cigarettes create more than
7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of the ingredients are known to cause cancer
and many are poisonous. 16
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