Freebase vs Nic-Salts

Nicotine is the active ingredient in E-liquid. The most common names for these are Freebase and Nic-Salt.

These have differences that are very subjective from person to person, so understanding these differences will greatly help you in choosing the right liquid.

So what are the differences?

The key difference between Freebase and Nic-Salt is the “throat hit”. What we mean by this is the sensation you get in your throat when you vape it. Freebase has a “harsh throat hit” while Nic-Salt has a “smooth throat hit.” Some people find that this “throat hit” is something that they need to help stave off their want for cigarettes and if you are one of those people, we strongly recommend using Freebase.

The second key difference between Freebase and Nic-Salts is the flavour. Nic-Salts generally are very sweet in comparison to Freebase flavours and have a much stronger and longer lasting taste. For some people, this is exactly what they need to prevent a craving.

So, we know the key differences, but what is Freebase and Nic-Salts?

They are both types of Nicotine. But there is more to it than that. In simple terms, Nicotine salt is a salt version of nicotine, that’s kind of obvious from the name, but again, that is the most surface layer of this. So, if you’re interested in what is in your liquid, read on. (skip to the last paragraph for TL:DR)

Freebase nicotine is pure, unadulterated, nicotine. If you extract it from the plant and clean everything else out of it, this is what you’re left with. While it is called an acid, it is actually more of a base in this form as it works in the opposite way. This means that in pure Freebase form, it attracts Hydrogen ions (Hydrogen with a little more charge). For reference, acids give off these same ions. In its cleanest form, this nicotine is nice and smooth but nothing is perfect and this form will quickly attract those ions until it becomes acidic, at which point it will start to give off those ions and switch back and forth between these two states. The act of gaining these ions is called protonation and the back and forth between these states is called being in a flux state.

Okay, so if that is Freebase, let’s now look at Nicotine Salts and what makes them special.

Nicotine salt is a Freebase nicotine that is given a "buffer" to prevent the Protonation. In the tobacco plant, Ammonia does this job, making the nicotine sit happily in the plant. But e-liquids are not plants. Also, Ammonia isn’t the healthiest chemical, we have good uses for it but, yeah. Not something I want to breathe, especially with the added smell of it. So, we substitute it. In place of Ammonia, the most common chemical used is Benzoic Acid. This loosely sits in place of the hydrogen, preventing the hydrogen from joining the Nicotine and “Protonating” it. 

How does this make Nicotine Salts different from Freebase?

The key here is that word “Protonation”. Nicotine affects your brain. To do this, it has to get into your brain and your brain has bouncers that reject anything that doesn’t “look” cosher. Gotta have the right shoes you see? Protonated Nicotine all come in wearing jeans and trainers and get turned away at the door, left to wander round to the liver where the ions are removed and they’re dressed appropriately. When they get back to the brain, they get in. This is why Freebase Nicotine gives you a long cessation period. Because it takes time for it all to get through to the brain and get used. Nicotine Salts though, they have an assistant making sure their suit is pressed before they go out. Without the protonated Ions, the brain sees the nicotine as just that, followed with an entourage, and is allowed in. This results in a quicker head rush, but also, results in a shorter one too. 

So, how will this help you?

Well, to put it simply if you skipped the last bit, If you vape Disposables or smoke a lot specifically for the head rush, then Nicotine salts are the thing for you.

If you are more of a habit user, have a smoke, wait 2 hours, have a smoke etc. Then you are better to look at Freebase. This is because it will mimic the cigarette that you were having and it’s longer lasting nicotine rush. 

Until next time.