What are Nicotine Pouches?
Nicotine pouches are small, often white pouches that contain nicotine as well as a variety of other ingredients. They’re often referred to as nic pouches or nicotine snus pouches, although they don’t contain any form of tobacco. Nic pouches come in a wide range of sizes, flavours and brands - some of our best selling nicotine pouch brands include Velo, Pablo and Killa.
When using a nic pouch it’s important to remember that they’ve been made for oral use only - they should be inserted into the gap between your lip and gum. Once in place the nicotine pouch will steadily deliver nicotine directly into the body's bloodstream where it’s absorbed to provide the user with relief from nicotine cravings, leaving them feeling satisfied.
A nic pouch is a single-use nicotine product - they’re not reusable and should not be chewed or swallowed. Instead, once your need for nicotine has been satiated you should remove the pouch from your mouth and dispose of it in the nearest bin.
What Happens If You Swallow A Nicotine Pouch?
Whether you’ve swallowed a nicotine pouch by accident, or intentionally, it’s important to know what to expect. Thankfully, the majority of nic pouches contain natural ingredients that will break down within the digestive system in a matter of hours. So there’s no need to worry or panic. This is especially true as our nicotine pouches, despite often being dubbed as “snus nicotine pouches”, do not contain any form of tobacco.
Most nicotine pouches contain only a few, often natural, ingredients. The most common ones found in these pouches are as follows: salt, water, flavour, food-grade filling and, of course, nicotine. Despite being made of food-grade quality materials and ingredients, nic pouches have not been made for consumption and so it should be avoided where possible.
Accidentally or intentionally swallowing a pouch every now and then might not cause any problems, but this could change if you were to swallow them frequently. If you are swallowing your nic pouches after use instead of disposing of them we’d advise that you promptly stop doing so. The chemicals within the nicotine snus pouches could potentially begin to cause problems such as an upset stomach or intestinal disturbances if they build up within your system.
As with any other chemical, the strength of the nicotine is also a factor that plays a role in the intensity of the side effects. Strong nicotine pouches containing high concentrations of nicotine are more likely to cause unpleasant symptoms or side effects if swallowed than light nicotine pouches that possess a much lower level of nicotine.
Nicotine - The Hidden Dangers
All nicotine products have potential risks attached to their use - and the risk increases with the strength of the nicotine, and the frequency of its use. Nicotine is an addictive chemical; although it isn’t carcinogenic and is widely believed not to cause cancer, there are still hazards involved in its use.
First and foremost, as you’re likely already aware, the use and consumption of nicotine can lead to dependency and addiction. This dependency is believed to result in mental changes involving mood as well as disrupted concentration and the inability to focus.
Mental changes aren’t the only recognised side effects related to the use of nicotine though. Once your body has absorbed the nicotine it can cause physiological changes as well. Nicotine use can result in mild-moderate adverse side effects and symptoms such as nausea, headaches and dizziness, as well as more serious changes such as elevated blood pressure and an increased heart rate.
If you begin to feel unwell after using nicotine it’s important to seek medical advice immediately. Getting advice from a medical professional will alleviate any concerns you may have about your welfare, and hopefully remedy any issues you may be facing. It’s always better to play it safe, rather than risk your health!
Lastly, and most importantly - if you believe a child has ingested nicotine it’s essential that you take them to A&E or seek medical advice immediately. Although the chances of nicotine poisoning are low, it can still be fatal in small children. To avoid this you should keep your nicotine pouches out of the reach of children at all times.
More About Nicotine Pouches
If you want to learn more about nicotine pouches, including which brands of nicotine pouch are best, what strength is best for you and which flavours are popular right now you should head over to JusSnus where we have a wide range of flavours and brands available. Alternatively you can check out our blog where we discuss the best nicotine pouch brands and flavours on the market right now.