When searching online for reports about the nicotine content of snus and cigarettes, you will often find comments claiming that snus contains more nicotine than cigarettes and therefore should be considered more dangerous.
We want to get to the bottom of this and reveal how much nicotine a cigarette contains and how it compares to chewing tobacco and snus. Additionally, we will also take a look at the nicotine content of e-cigarettes.
How does nicotine get into cigarettes and chewing tobacco/snus?
Cigarettes are made from finely chopped leaves of the tobacco plant. The tobacco plant naturally contains nicotine, and thus all tobacco products contain nicotine. The question of how much nicotine is in a cigarette cannot be answered definitively as the strength can vary depending on the brand.
In chewing tobacco or snus, ground tobacco is used, which is mixed with other ingredients and naturally brings with it natural nicotine. There is now even a tobacco-free variant, All White Snus or Nicotine Pouches. Here, the nicotine is either extracted from the tobacco plant or synthetically produced, before being added to the white cellulose mixture in the form of salt or liquid. When consumed, chewing tobacco is placed under the upper lip, and through the mucous membranes, the nicotine enters the bloodstream and reaches the brain.
How much nicotine does a cigarette contain?
A cigarette typically contains around 1 gram of tobacco, and the nicotine content per cigarette ranges from 7 to 20 milligrams. On average, a cigarette contains about 13 milligrams of nicotine.
However, when lighting a cigarette, not all the nicotine is absorbed into the body. The body absorbs approximately 1 to 2 milligrams of nicotine per cigarette when smoking. The nicotine reaches the brain shortly after intake and takes effect there. To prevent a nicotine overdose, the body's warning signals should be taken seriously.
How much nicotine is in e-cigarettes?
When purchasing an e-cigarette, you first need to decide on the appropriate nicotine strength in the base or liquid. E-cigarettes typically contain 20 milligrams of nicotine per 1 gram of liquid. In a pack of 20 cigarettes containing an average of 13 milligrams of nicotine, the total nicotine content is about 260 milligrams. For e-cigarettes with 10 milliliters of liquid, the total nicotine content is approximately 200 milligrams.
How much nicotine is in chewing tobacco?
Extremely strong chewing tobacco varieties, such as Siberia Rot WDP, can contain up to 43 milligrams of nicotine per gram. Normal chewing tobacco contains about 7 milligrams per gram, and there are even nicotine-free variants like edel CBD Mint.
It's important to note that not all the nicotine in chewing tobacco is absorbed by the body. The proportion that enters the bloodstream through the mucous membranes is about 30% for tobacco chewing tobacco and approximately 50% for All White chewing tobacco. The absorption of nicotine is also influenced by other factors: moisture (the moister, the stronger), pouch size (the larger, the stronger), and pH level (the higher, the stronger). As with cigarettes, the dose absorbed also depends on how our body's receptors work.
Conclusion on the nicotine content in cigarettes
Cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and chewing tobacco/snus contain different amounts of nicotine, and direct comparisons are difficult. The nicotine strength depends not only on the amount of nicotine but also on other factors like our body's receptors or the pH level of the products.
In a cigarette, the body absorbs about 1 to 2 milligrams of nicotine, while in chewing tobacco, it's about 0.8 to 1.6 milligrams of nicotine. The nicotine content of chewing tobacco varies depending on the type. Additionally, when smoking, other toxins are also absorbed by the body due to the combustion process, which is why chewing tobacco is generally 95% less harmful than smoking.
Chewing tobacco or snus, on the other hand, is placed under the upper lip and is not burned. Therefore, mild and normal-strength chewing tobacco varieties can be considered a good alternative to cigarettes. Those who want to try chewing tobacco for the first time should avoid strong varieties.
