Vapes with Nicotine and Other Alternatives: Why Do They Contain It?

If you're an adult smoker considering alternatives like vaping or heated tobacco devices, you may wonder if these devices contain nicotine (or if it's inhaled with their use).

While the best choice for a smoker is to quit tobacco and nicotine altogether, generally, switching to smoke-free alternatives like vaping and heated tobacco devices is a better option than continuing to smoke.

These devices are not harmless, and generally, nicotine is inhaled with their use, which is an addictive substance. Vaping products (like e-cigarettes) and heated tobacco devices, such as IQOS, are not designed for underage people or those who have quit smoking or never smoked; they are designed as better alternatives to cigarettes for adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking.

Although nicotine is an addictive substance and not harmless, there are many misconceptions about it. Some people believe it's the most harmful substance in cigarettes, but that's not the case: nicotine consumption is not the main cause of tobacco-related diseases.

On the contrary, smoke is the main cause of smoking-related diseases. Nicotine is addictive, but it's the other chemicals emitted when a cigarette is burned that are the main culprits of smoking-related diseases.

When a cigarette is smoked, tobacco is burned, and it's precisely through combustion that most harmful chemicals are released. This differs from heated tobacco devices and vapes, where tobacco is heated without combustion or the liquid (respectively) is heated instead of burned. Both involve inhaling nicotine, but the absence of combustion makes fully switching to these types of products a better option than continuing to smoke cigarettes. In any case, the available scientific evidence for each specific product should be analyzed.

It's important to note that products containing nicotine should not be used by people who have or are at risk of heart disease, diabetics, epileptics, or are experiencing seizures. Likewise, it should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Finally, underage people should not use or have access to tobacco or nicotine-containing products.

If you want to get all the information about nicotine and why it's important for adult smokers who want to switch to a better alternative to find these products satisfying, keep reading.

As mentioned earlier, nicotine is included in most vapes (although there are also nicotine-free options) to help those smokers who are making the transition or considering it from smoking to vaping. But where does the nicotine in a vape come from?

The nicotine in vapes comes from the liquid included in the vape and is heated to create vapor. Depending on the type of vape, the liquid may need to be manually inserted into the tank or may come in cartridges or pods that are replaced once used.

E-liquids have four main ingredients, one of which is nicotine. Although quitting nicotine altogether is the best choice a smoker can make, fully switching to vaping is a better alternative to continuing to smoke cigarettes.

However, not all e-liquids will have the same level of nicotine, and when it comes to choosing the right nicotine level, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Nicotine levels are displayed in percentages or mg on e-liquid packaging to allow vapes to choose the one that best suits them.

Along with nicotine as one of the main ingredients in e-liquid, there are flavors, propylene glycol (PG), and vegetable glycerin (VG).

Like with vapes, the heated tobacco used with devices like IQOS also contains nicotine, as it's naturally found in tobacco leaves.

Nicotine is found in the tobacco units heated with IQOS devices, rather than burned like conventional cigarettes.

As indicated, nicotine is important for adult smokers to find smoke-free alternatives satisfying and to help them switch to these products, leaving behind the most harmful and extensive form of tobacco and nicotine consumption: cigarettes.