What is Synthetic Nicotine?
What are the differences between regular nicotine, synthetic nicotine and tobacco free nicotine?
Have you ever wondered, what is synthetic nicotine, and what does the synthetic nicotine law mean for vapers? If you have been wondering about this, our experts are on hand today to help you discover more about synthetic nicotine products. Plus, we’ll outline the main differences between nicotine vs. synthetic nicotine vs. tobacco-free nicotine and what the new synthetic nicotine law might mean for vapers going forward.
Background to the Synthetic Nicotine Law
Before we go any further, we first need to consider the basics of the new synthetic nicotine law. Congress passed the synthetic nicotine law on the 11th of March, 2022. The purpose of this new law was to introduce new regulations for the production of synthetic nicotine and synthetic nicotine products.
Simply put, the new law, which was put into effect on the 14th of April, was intended to ensure that all synthetic nicotine products are regulated under the same terms as tobacco-derived nicotine products. The new regulations will hence ensure that synthetic nicotine products are monitored and regulated highly, making them potentially safer.
As of the 13th of July, 2022, all synthetic nicotine products must have received either an extension or authorization for FDA marketing. Any synthetic nicotine products that have not received either will hence be subject to enforcement by the Center for Tobacco Products.
What Does the Synthetic Nicotine Law Mean for Vapers
The synthetic nicotine laws will change the way that vapers – particularly those using e-cigarettes – use vaping products – notably in the sense of safety. Indeed, while tobacco-derived nicotine has traditionally been monitored closely by the FDA, based on current public health standards, regulations on synthetic nicotine products have been unimposable.
This challenge occurred because the Center for Tobacco Products was previously unable to monitor synthetic nicotine. However, since the new synthetic nicotine laws allow the Center for Tobacco Products to regulate synthetic nicotine, vapers can now have greater confidence that their e-cigarettes are high quality and made using safe manufacturing procedures.
What is Synthetic Nicotine?
At this point, if you’ve never used synthetic nicotine products before or haven’t really questioned the difference, you might be wondering: what is a synthetic nicotine product, and what is it used for? A synthetic nicotine product is a type of product made from lab-made nicotine products. This means that the synthetic nicotine is not made from tobacco leaf, which previously meant the Center for Tobacco Products did not regulate it. However, the new law means that synthetic lab-made nicotine can now be overseen by the FDA, providing greater safety overall.
What is Nicotine?
Nicotine – whether derived naturally from tobacco leaf or synthetically made in the lab – is a chemical compound that laters with the brain’s neurological pathways as a stimulant. Nicotine is also a highly addictive substance.
Due to its stimulating nature, nicotine is also widely considered an anxiolytic drug, reducing feelings of anxiety and worry. However, with long-term use, it’s common for users to become addicted to nicotine, causing anxiety and worries to worsen when the nicotine cravings hit.
We most commonly associate nicotine with the chemical compound derived from tobacco plants. However, nicotine is also in much smaller quantities in many other plants, such as peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes. However, due to the low levels of nicotine in these products, they are unlikely to ever cause nicotine addiction.
Regular Nicotine Vs. Synthetic Nicotine
In terms of their chemical composition, nicotine and synthetic nicotine are identical, although the manufacturers’ exact production method is a closely-guarded secret. Both traditional and synthetic nicotine products are highly addictive and should be used with caution to prevent addiction. In addition, both of these otherwise-identical compounds produce the same neurological impacts.
However, the one main difference between nicotine and synthetic nicotine in terms of quality is that traditional nicotine has the potential to be contaminated with tobacco-derived compounds.
By contrast, since synthetic nicotine is made in the laboratory, there is substantially less chance of contamination when made following proper procedures. However, thanks to the implementation of the new synthetic nicotine law, these products can now be more carefully controlled. In turn, this ensures that synthetic nicotine products are regulated to the same purity standards as traditional nicotine products.
What is Tobacco Free Nicotine?
Generally speaking, the majority of modern nicotine products are derived from tobacco plants and leaves. However, some nicotine is made synthetically in a laboratory setting, meaning that it is “tobacco-free.” As such, tobacco-free nicotine is a product made from synthetic nicotine that has not been derived from a tobacco plant. Tobacco-free nicotine is most commonly used in e-cigarettes.
Generally speaking, tobacco-free nicotine is made from a blend of nicotine types, most commonly S-isomer and R-isomer nicotine. However, a smaller number of products may be made from purely synthetic S-isomer nicotine. In any scenario, these products retain the original properties of nicotine but without ever being derived from tobacco leaves. However, the exact synthesis of synthetic tobacco products is a very closely guarded secret and fully patented, preventing other manufacturers from creating tobacco-free nicotine products.
What’s the Difference Between Synthetic Nicotine and Tobacco-Free Nicotine (TFN)?
At this point, you’re probably wondering: what’s the difference between synthetic nicotine vs. tobacco-free nicotine (TFN)? If this is something you have been wondering, the answer is actually pretty straightforward: they’re the same product. While tobacco-free and synthetic nicotine have different names, both are used to describe synthetic nicotine products made in the lab without extraction from tobacco leaves. As a result, synthetic nicotine and tobacco-free nicotine are largely the same product, meaning that both are now regulated by the Center for Tobacco Products.
Final Thoughts
If you have been looking to find out more about questions such as “what is a synthetic nicotine product” and “what is synthetic nicotine used for,” we’ve outlined several key things you need to know today. Moreover, we’ve summarized how the new synthetic nicotine laws might impact the future for vapers; hopefully, this will help you find the ideal solutions for your own vaping needs in the future.
