Nicotine Pouches vs Other Nicotine Alternatives

Nicotine pouches are a fast-growing way to experience nicotine. There are lots of alternatives to continued smoking available for adult smokers, nicotine pouches being just one of them. Others include vapes, nicotine sticks, and heated tobacco. 

When switching from cigarettes to a smoke-free alternative, it’s essential to find the option that best meets your preferences. Whether you use cigarettes, vape, or heated tobacco, nicotine pouches could be an alternative for your flavourful nicotine moment - but before switching to nicotine pouches, it’s helpful to know how they compare to other options. That way, you can be sure whether or not nicotine pouches are the right option for you. 

Read on to explore the benefits of nicotine pouches, and how they compare to other nicotine alternatives.

What Are Nicotine Pouches?

Nicotine pouches are small, pillow-shaped pouches containing nicotine, cellulose, and flavourings. 

This alternative was first developed in Scandinavia as a tobacco-leaf-free alternative to traditional oral tobacco products, which have been used in countries like Sweden and Denmark for many years.

Although nicotine pouches haven’t been around long, they’ve quickly become popular in Scandinavia and elsewhere because they are a simple and convenient smoke-free and tobacco-leaf-free way to experience nicotine.

Nicotine pouches are simple to use - just place a pouch under the top lip for a nicotine experience. The manufacturer of your nicotine pouch product should provide instructions on how long to keep a pouch in before removing it.

Comparison of Nicotine Pouches with Other Nicotine Alternatives

Nicotine pouches differ in some significant ways from other smoke-free alternatives. Explore the differences between this product and other options below.

Nicotine Pouches vs E-cigarettes

E-cigarettes (otherwise known as vapes) are very different from nicotine pouches. While both offer a smoke-free nicotine experience to the adult user, a vape delivers this through vapour, whereas nicotine pouches slowly release nicotine from the pouch to the gums. 

Vapes are devices that can heat nicotine-containing e-liquid to produce vapour. They typically come in one of two forms: disposable (single-use vapes) or rechargeable (like our VEEV ONE pod-based vape).

Here are a few additional factors to consider when exploring nicotine pouches vs vapes: 

•Discretion: Nicotine pouches are known for being discreet. Being covered by the user’s top lip, others may be unable to tell when you’re using this product. In comparison, a vape requires a device and produces vapour - which is more obvious.

•Convenience: Both options are relatively simple and easy to use. However, you may be able to use them in indoor settings and locations, where you may not be able to vape, - which could make them more convenient.

•Sense of familiarity: Adult users draw on a vape in a way that’s more similar to smoking a cigarette. This may offer adults a sense of familiarity, easing the transition from continued smoking to a smoke-free alternative.

•Flavour: Both vapes and nicotine pouches are available in different flavour options, including fruit, menthol, and more.

•Does it include tobacco? Vapes are generally tobacco-free, and nicotine pouches are tobacco-leaf-free.

Nicotine Pouches vs Heated Tobacco

Heated tobacco is another common smoke-free alternative that generally uses a device to heat tobacco instead of burning it, producing a nicotine-containing aerosol. This differs significantly from the way nicotine pouches are used.

Explore heated tobacco vs nicotine pouches in further detail below:

•Discretion: To have a heated tobacco experience, adult users will usually have to use a device that heats tobacco, with the nicotine being delivered through an aerosol. This could be considered less discreet than having a nicotine pouch under the top lip.

•Convenience: As discussed above, nicotine pouches could be used in indoor where other nicotine products are not permitted, which might make the pouches more convenient to use. Additionally, with nicotine pouches, there’s no device set-up required, whereas there typically is with heated tobacco (i.e., placing the heated tobacco stick in its compatible device and waiting for it to heat up before use).

•Sense of familiarity: The way adult users draw on a heated tobacco stick is similar to the way a cigarette is smoked than using nicotine pouches. This could offer adults a sense of familiarity during the transition from continued smoking to a smoke-free alternative. Heated tobacco typically tastes of tobacco, too - whereas nicotine pouches do not.

•Flavour: Nicotine pouches are available in various flavours, whereas heated tobacco is limited to tobacco notes and aromas.

•Does it include tobacco? Heated tobacco sticks contain tobacco, whereas nicotine pouches are tobacco-leaf-free.

Nicotine Pouches vs Nicotine Sticks

Nicotine sticks, like our new LEVIA sticks, are another nicotine alternative to continued smoking. LEVIA can be used in IQOS ILUMA devices. IQOS ILUMA heats LEVIA via its Smartcore Induction Technology to produce a nicotine-containing aerosol, which differs from how nicotine pouches deliver nicotine.

Here are a few other differences between these alternatives to explore:

•Discretion: Nicotine pouches may be more discreet than using nicotine sticks - as nicotine sticks typically require a device to use and produce an aerosol.

•Convenience: Because they are generally more discreet, nicotine pouches may be more convenient to use in indoor settings than nicotine sticks.

•Sense of familiarity: Nicotine sticks require adult users to breathe nicotine in through a stick, providing a similar ritual to smoking.

•Flavour: Both nicotine pouches and nicotine sticks can be available in different flavour options, ranging from fruity to more menthol notes.

•Does it include tobacco? LEVIA sticks do not contain tobacco, and nicotine pouches are tobacco-leaf-free.

Cost Comparison: Nicotine Pouches, Vapes, Heated Tobacco and Nicotine Sticks

There are many different products sold within each smoke-free alternative category. Therefore, the cost for any of these alternatives can vary depending on the product you choose. 

To give you an example of how these costs differ, we’ve created a comparison table showcasing the prices of ZYN nicotine pouches, VEEV vapes, IQOS heated tobacco, and LEVIA nicotine sticks. 

* Based on a puff duration of 1 second. May vary depending on individual usage patterns.

Find out more on the cost of cigarettes vs smoke-free alternatives.

The Benefits of Nicotine Pouches Over Other Smoke-Free Alternatives

The benefits of nicotine pouches can outweigh those of other smoke-free alternatives - but of course, this will depend on your personal preferences. 

Nicotine pouches are a cleaner way to experience nicotine compared to cigarettes. What’s more, this alternative doesn’t require a device and is simple to use - you just place the pouch between your upper lip and gum for a nicotine experience.

You might find that nicotine pouches are more convenient and discreet to use compared to other alternatives, too. 

For a smoke-free, vapour-free and device-free nicotine experience - nicotine pouches may be worth considering. That said, as with all nicotine products, nicotine pouches are not risk-free and contain nicotine, which is addictive.

Smoke-free products are not risk-free and provide nicotine, which is addictive. The best decision any adult smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether. Smoke-free products are not alternatives to quitting and are not designed as cessation aids.

This article is for general information and educational purposes. Some of the information in this article is based on external, third-party sources and we make no representations or warranties of any kind regarding the accuracy, validity or completeness of such information.