Snus vs Nicotine Pouches

Many smokeless tobacco products like chewing tobacco have been around in the market for a long time, making them a good alternative to cigarettes, cigars, and even vapes. One perk of using them is they do not emit smoke or aerosol that tends to bother other people.

One smokeless tobacco product often used by people nowadays is snus. It takes advantage of a powdered form of tobacco that can be either loose or in a pouch. While it is discreet to consume, the presence of tobacco ingredients deters some people from using it. This is where a nicotine pouch comes in handy.

A nicotine pouch is also an oral product that comes in a bag. It does not boast any tobacco. However, it still has nicotine content, which is enough to satisfy the cravings of nicotine users.

In this blog, get to know the difference between snus and nicotine pouches in terms of their qualities, usage, and health implications.

Snus vs Nicotine Pouches: Taste and Usage

Before knowing the taste and usage of snus and nicotine pouches, you must first understand their primary composition and ingredients.

Snus, particularly the tobacco-based one, is composed of air-dried tobacco ingredients mixed with water, salt, an alkalizing agent, and aroma. The content of snus undergoes steam pasteurization, which helps prevent bacteria from growing and preserves their texture. Once the process is done, all the ingredients are wrapped in an organic cellulose pouch. Other snus, however, are packaged inside a can.

The usage of snus varies. 

For the pouch variant, you can simply get one from its packaging and place it between the gum and the cheek or upper lip. The nicotine and its flavour will then dissipate from the pouch after a few minutes until it reaches your bloodstream through the oral mucosa.

Loose snus, alternatively, is consumed by squeezing a certain amount of tobacco-based ingredients and inserting them into your mouth, particularly between the upper lip and gum.

Given the presence of tobacco ingredients in snus, it is expected to have a distinct tobacco taste. It provides this smokeless tobacco product with earthy, smoky notes with some subtle hints of saltiness or bitterness.

Snus also boasts some flavourings, complementing the rich, smokey taste of tobacco ingredients. These flavourings include mint, spices, citrus, and berries. The addition of these flavours provides freshness, sweetness, and others to the existing tobacco-rich profile of snus.

Nicotine pouches, on the other hand, are made differently due to the absence of tobacco.

Instead of adding tobacco, manufacturers get the nicotine from the tobacco leaves through extraction and mixing it with other ingredients like plant-based fillers, flavourings, sweeteners, and many more. These ingredients are meant to hold the nicotine pouch content together as well as make the whole composition intact and potent.

The whole nicotine-containing substrate is then wrapped in a non-woven fleece pouch and sealed thoroughly, ensuring it will be ready for use without losing moisture and freshness.

Most nicotine pouches are used similarly. All you have to do is to get one from a can where the pouches are stored, put it between your upper lip and gum, and wait for it to release nicotine and flavour. Once done, you should discard it to the right trash bin.

The lack of tobacco makes the nicotine pouch taste cleaner and more consistent as it only relies on the flavourings added to the mix during production. Tobacco, after all, is a natural plant that can taste differently due to its varying growing conditions, storage, and so on.

When you use a nicotine pouch, expect its main flavour to capture your senses. You can clearly taste mint, citrus, coffee, or other flavours added to this oral nicotine product.

The tobacco-free nicotine pouches by Bridge come in a bunch of exciting flavours, including Cool Mint, Spearmint, Wintergreen, and Citrus.

One similarity between snus and nicotine pouches is they are best placed between the upper lip and the gum. Placing them in the said area helps in diffusing their nicotine and flavours without producing too much saliva. It also prevents them from being swallowed accidentally as they fit better in the upper lip. Better taste production is likewise expected when placed in this area.

Snus vs Nicotine Pouches: Health Implications

A lot of people use snus and nicotine pouches as a tool to quit tobacco smoking or vaping, which are known to be the main causes of preventable deaths. They also use these smokeless products to protect their loved ones from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke or aerosol, which are often the source of lung and heart problems. 

Past smokers and vape users even use snus and tobacco-free nicotine pouches as a way to gradually decrease nicotine consumption.

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that makes it difficult for people to stop smoking or vaping. This effect occurs as it conditions the brain to treat this substance as the driving force behind the soothing sensation one can get from smoking cigarettes or using e-cigarettes. Without nicotine, one may feel grumpy, sad, anxious, and other similar emotions. One may not even concentrate and think very well without their nicotine fix.

Since the effect of nicotine from cigarettes and other nicotine products is temporary, you may feel the need to use one again to satisfy your cravings. 

Snus and nicotine pouches do not stop you from being dependent on nicotine, but they help you gradually cut the amount and strength of nicotine you consume until you no longer need it.

Oral Health Effects

Snus and nicotine pouches do not require combustion to be consumed effectively. Even though they are used orally, you are not exposed to chemicals produced by tobacco smoke. Most carcinogens are non-existent when you use these smokeless nicotine products.

Despite the perceived benefits of using snus and nicotine pouches, they still impart oral health effects that you must know.

Snus, for instance, can still give you harmful oral health effects due to the existence of tobacco, which has been found in a study published in 2024.

The key ingredients of snus are tobacco, flavourings, salt, and many more. When you consume one regularly, these ingredients can gradually affect the appeal of your teeth as they tend to stick to your dental enamel. Over time, your teeth may start to possess some yellow or brown stains, which can only be removed by dental professionals.

Another oral health effect of snus is gum recession.

The content of snus can irritate your gums, causing them to recede. When the gums start to pull away from your teeth, the roots of your teeth become exposed. It then causes your teeth to be sensitive and vulnerable to decay. Gum recession can also affect teeth stability. Without reducing your snus consumption, you might experience tooth loss over time.

Snus can also lead to periodontal disease. It is a serious gum infection you can get from the irritant properties of snus tobacco. As your gum tissues get inflamed, different bacteria may thrive, leading to gum inflammation, gum recession, tooth mobility, and bone loss.

Lastly, regular use of snus can lead to leukoplakia. It is a condition wherein your mouth attains white patches or sores. Failure to treat this condition can lead to oral cancer. Hence, you must consume snus moderately.

Many oral health effects of nicotine pouches could be similar to ones caused by snus. However, their lack of tobacco components can make them less harmful. They are also relatively new, which means studies regarding their effects are still limited as of writing.

The presence of nicotine in nicotine pouches allows them to provide a number of side effects when consumed regularly.

These side effects include hiccups, gum irritation, and sore mouth.

Hiccups can occur when using nicotine pouches due to nicotine. This addictive substance can stimulate the diaphragm, causing involuntary contractions. It then leads to hiccups that can go away after a few minutes. 

Gum irritation is also possible with nicotine pouches since they boast ingredients that may not react well in the area where the pouch will be placed. After using it for around 30 minutes, some users may experience discomfort and possible inflammation in the area.

Lastly, your mouth can become sore when you use nicotine pouches regularly. 

Your body might not react optimally with the chemicals found in a pouch, leading to a sore mouth. It can also happen if the pouch is too large for your mouth. A nicotine pouch should be small enough to fit your upper lip and gum. If the pouch comes in a bigger size, it will only cause friction when you put one in your mouth, leading to a sore mouth.

Role as a Smoking Cessation Tool

Cigarettes, cigars, and other smoking products require combustion so that their tobacco and other key ingredients can produce nicotine and other substances, making every puff satisfying. Combustion, however, leads to the production of tar and other harmful chemicals, which leads to different oral health effects like teeth stains and bad breath.

Smoking these products also leads to impaired blood flow to the gums and weakened ability to fight infections. As time passes, the chemicals they produce only cause swollen or bleeding gums, tooth loss, and leukoplakia.

Aside from oral health, these products can likewise cause serious heart and lung diseases.

When you smoke tobacco and nicotine products, you may end up getting different respiratory diseases as you inhale tar, nicotine, and carcinogens from the smoke. You may even develop cancers in the lung, throat, mouth, pancreas, esophagus, and bladder, which can be expensive and time-consuming to treat.

Smoking can even lead to heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure as the tobacco smoke chemicals may find their way to your arteries and block their passageway. This increases your risk of getting heart attacks.

Unfortunately, your loved ones, who may not have even used a cigarette once, can be affected by the tobacco smoke if they continuously inhale it. You may continuously risk them being exposed to smoke and damaging their body systems as you go along with your habit.

The health risks associated with smoking make snus and nicotine pouches a good aid for smoking cessation.

Even though these products differ in terms of usage, composition, and even oral health effects, they can be both used as tools for smoking cessation.

Given the less harmful effects of snus and nicotine pouches, you can use them to alleviate your smoking habit. You can switch cigarettes and other smoking products with these products so that you do not have to grab a lighter and light one up to get your nicotine fix. All you need to do is grab loose snus or a nicotine pouch from a can and put it in your mouth.

Once you have overcome the urge to smoke cigarettes and others with the help of snus and nicotine pouches, you now have the option to further decrease your nicotine intake. You can do this by switching to oral nicotine products with low to no nicotine content like nicotine gum.

Premium snus products are currently available at Native Smokes 4 Less.

Swedish Snus vs Nicotine Pouches

The overall composition and processing of snus differs depending on its type.

The Swedish snus, in particular, is known to be made traditionally. It involves grinding tobacco ingredients and mixing them with water, salt, and flavourings. This mixture is then fermented and aged to make sure the snus comes with a great texture and taste profile. It also allows the product to boast the right level of the addictive chemical nicotine. 

Similar to other types of snus, Swedish snus is known to be a great tool for quitting cigarettes as it does not generate too much harmful chemicals. It also has a very small amount of tobacco-specific nitrosamines. 

The addition of tobacco also makes Swedish snus a great choice for past smokers who love the rich notes of tobacco ingredients.

As long as you put one in your mouth, expect the Swedish snus to spread nicotine and tobacco flavours to your body without the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.

Nicotine pouches, however, are known to be a step up from snus. They provide a better alternative to cigarettes, cigars, and others as they do not maximize tobacco, which can be harmful in any form and kind. The pouches also have flavourings and other ingredients that offer a cleaner taste and a more regulated nicotine release experience. 

While both can cause oral health effects like gum irritation and dry mouth, nicotine pouches are deemed to provide less staining on teeth and milder gum irritation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Nicotine Pouches Safer Than Snus?

Nicotine pouches are safer than snus due to the lack of tobacco leaf. The nicotine found in these pouches has been extracted from tobacco, allowing them to provide the necessary kick without the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.

What Is More Harmful Snus or Nicotine Pouches?

Snus is deemed to be more harmful than nicotine pouches since it possesses tobacco leaves. When consuming snus pouches, you may be exposed to tobacco-specific nitrosamines, which are the main cause of gum disease, cancers, and oral cavities.

What Is the Safer Way to Consume Nicotine Between Snus and Nicotine Pouches?

Using nicotine pouches instead of snus is the better way to consume nicotine. Snus contains tobacco that contributes to serious illnesses in the heart, lungs, and other parts of your body. Nicotine pouches, alternatively, use extracted or synthetic nicotine, deterring the need to use tobacco and attain its harmful effects when you use one.

Summary

The in-depth comparison between snus and nicotine pouches shows that the latter is deemed to be safer and less harmful.

Nicotine pouches, with how they are made, allow them to deliver nicotine to your body without the harmful effects of tobacco smoke. While snus is also safer than cigarettes and other oral tobacco products, it still has tobacco, a known source of serious illnesses.

Quitting smoking can be done optimally with snus and nicotine pouches. However, if you want to still taste tobacco without smoking, you can go for snus, particularly Swedish snus. Alternatively, nicotine pouches are your best bet if you want to consume nicotine with a taste and aroma that is far from the all-familiar tobacco components of smoking products. You can even use them as a type of nicotine replacement therapy to gradually decrease your dependence on nicotine from tobacco products.

If you are now set on buying nicotine pouches, you must now know what they are best used for.