What is Synthetic Nicotine? Everything You Need to Know
Nicotine has always been associated with tobacco—until recently. With the rise of synthetic nicotine, the vaping industry has introduced a tobacco-free alternative that is chemically identical to traditional nicotine but made in a laboratory rather than extracted from tobacco plants.
Synthetic nicotine has gained attention due to regulatory loopholes and its use in e-cigarettes and vape products, particularly after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cracked down on flavored e-cigarettes. Some manufacturers turned to synthetic nicotine to circumvent FDA regulations, leading to new debates about safety, addiction risks, and legal oversight.
Synthetic nicotine is created in a laboratory rather than from tobacco leaves. Though synthetic nicotine has been around for some time, it has only recently started being used in products such as e-cigarettes as the production costs have gone down.
Lung.org
What Is Synthetic Nicotine?
Synthetic nicotine is lab-created nicotine that does not come from tobacco leaves. It is chemically identical to traditional nicotine, meaning it interacts with the body’s nicotine receptors in the same way.
Unlike nicotine derived from tobacco, synthetic nicotine is created using chemical synthesis, making it completely tobacco-free in origin. This distinction led to regulatory confusion since, until 2022, the FDA only had authority over nicotine sourced from tobacco.
Why Was Synthetic Nicotine Created?
Initially, synthetic nicotine was developed for pharmaceutical and research purposes, but as regulations on tobacco-derived nicotine tightened, vape manufacturers began using it as a way to avoid FDA restrictions on flavored e-cigarettes. Brands like Puff Bar switched to synthetic nicotine in response to flavor bans targeting youth vaping.
In 2021, Puff Bar reintroduced its e-cigarettes using ‘tobacco-free nicotine’ to evade FDA oversight.
American Lung Association
How is Synthetic Nicotine Made?
Synthetic nicotine is created in a lab, then sold under the name of “tobacco-free nicotine” by the vape and tobacco industries. It’s been in use for centuries. However, the industry has recently brought it back to be used in vape products. Synthetic nicotine is produced in a lab rather than made from tobacco leaves.
The Chemical Process
Synthetic nicotine is created using a chemical reaction involving precursors like niacin (Vitamin B3) or other organic compounds. The process involves:
- Isolating key chemical components found in natural nicotine.
- Rearranging molecules to create an identical nicotine structure.
- Purifying the final product to remove unwanted byproducts.
Unlike traditional nicotine, which is extracted through chemical solvents from tobacco leaves, synthetic nicotine is built from the ground up in a lab.
While the process of creating synthetic nicotine has been used for a while, it’s only recently been employed in products like electronic cigarettes because the production costs have been reduced. It is made into liquid, which is why it is incorporated predominantly into vape products.
Synthetic Nicotine vs. Tobacco-Derived Nicotine: Key Differences
While both forms of nicotine are chemically identical, there are a few key distinctions:
| Feature | Tobacco-Derived Nicotine | Synthetic Nicotine |
| Source | Extracted from tobacco leaves | Created in a laboratory |
| Regulation | Regulated by FDA (Tobacco Control Act) | Now regulated under updated laws |
| Impurities | May contain trace amounts of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) | Purity-controlled, no TSNAs |
| Public Perception | Associated with smoking and tobacco products | Marketed as “tobacco-free” |
| Use in Products | Found in cigarettes, e-liquids, nicotine gum, and patches | Primarily used in vape products |
What Is the Difference Between Tobacco-Free Nicotine and Synthetic Nicotine?
Some companies use the terms “synthetic nicotine” and “tobacco-free nicotine” interchangeably, but there is a subtle distinction:
- Synthetic Nicotine: Made entirely in a laboratory with no tobacco origins.
- Tobacco-Free Nicotine (TFN): May be synthetic or highly purified nicotine extracted from non-tobacco sources.
Why This Matters
The “tobacco-free” label has been used in marketing to make vaping products appear less harmful or outside FDA jurisdiction, but both synthetic and tobacco-free nicotine now fall under FDA regulation.
Is synthetic nicotine harmful?
Compared to most tobacco-based Nicotine, Synthetic nicotine is technically more secure because it has no contaminants from cigarettes. Many people consider nicotine to be relatively harmless on its own, but it can be highly addictive and must be treated with caution. Nicotine naturally occurs in food items, including tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and aubergine. However, the amount of nicotine in these foods is minimal.
Can we use nicotine in a safe way?
Nicotine is the calming chemical you become addicted to as we see in smokers of cigarettes. Although you can detect high nicotine levels in tobacco (8 percent to 14%) However, you may be able to find an addictive alkaloid in other undesirable elements belonging to the nightshade family, though in lower amounts. Other typical foods such as tomatoes, green peppers, eggplant aubergine, potatoes, and the coca plant leaves have nicotine-rich traces.
Here is a common belief about nicotine: that even small doses are not a threat to your health. The burning of tobacco, along with the various carcinogens released in your body each time you smoke, is the actual cause of death.
Nicotine is addictive substance that has safe alternative ways to take it other than smoking cigarettes. When you switch to electronic cigarettes, you eliminate carbon monoxide.
The significant part about vaping liquids is that you can select the amount of nicotine you prefer. If you usually smoke cigarettes or roll tobacco or liquid, one with an extremely high 1.8 percent nicotine content could offer a similar experience. In the future, if you need to alter your liquid, you can select the 1.2 percent lower amount and then 0.6 percent, and then wholly nicotine-free.
Electronic cigarettes use a liquid called “freebase.” It comes from the tobacco using an enzymatic process to create the final product, which is ninety-nine percent pure.
To improve its taste, we combine nicotine with propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG).
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Is Synthetic Nicotine Regulated?
The 2022 FDA Crackdown
Initially, synthetic nicotine was not regulated under the Tobacco Control Act, leading companies to exploit a legal loophole. However, in March 2022, Congress closed this loophole, giving the FDA authority over all nicotine products, regardless of origin.
New Synthetic Nicotine Regulations Include:
- Age restrictions: Cannot be sold to anyone under 21.
- Marketing restrictions: Cannot be advertised as “safer” without FDA approval.
- Product review requirements: All synthetic nicotine products must undergo FDA review before being sold.
Despite these new laws, some synthetic nicotine vape products remain on the market illegally, as enforcement is still a challenge.
Is there a vape with no nicotine?
People often refer to smoke-free liquids as either long fills or short fills. These liquids contain only the PG, VG, and flavorings typically included, and do not include nicotine. These nicotine-free liquids are great for those who want to smoke without nicotine or limit their nicotine consumption. Shortfalls are made with enough space inside the bottle for you to add your nicotine shot.
This lets you lower the amount of nicotine you consume by adding lower or less strength to your favorite vape flavors. Overall, how synthetic nicotine becomes popular will depend on the direction of the market. In light of changes to the law, certain companies make synthetic nicotine. Still, due to the process used to develop it, it is likely to be costly to make, which is why it hasn’t been able to become fully popular.
Is Synthetic Nicotine Safe?
Although the flavor of synthetic nicotine needs additives, it’s still secure. Those who want to reduce overall nicotine levels and break links to tobacco could gradually reduce their nicotine levels until they don’t need it longer. You can vape nicotine-free till we are ready to stop completely.
How Can I Buy Synthetic Nicotine Vape Liquids?
The biggest producers of synthetic nicotine are in the United States and Europe. If you live in the US or Europe, you’ll likely find that your favorite liquid producers already use synthetic nicotine. If they’re not making use of TFN nicotine at the moment, they will shortly. To find TFN-based liquid, you must check out the offerings at your local or online vape shop.
In general, when liquid companies switch to synthetic nicotine, they’ll notify their customers. TFN nicotine is appealing if you’re looking to stay away from cigarettes.
Additionally, changing from tobacco-derived to synthetic nicotine is a big investment. A brand that makes this switch is aware that this is not a simple change in their product line. Synthetic nicotine is more expensive than nicotine derived from tobacco. Vape companies are eager to keep their customers informed of any changes to their products. This will help them attract and keep their growing community of loyal customers.
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