We live in a world where natural, non-GMO, and organic are words found on all sorts of products by all sorts of brands. You’ll find these descriptors, food, and even laboratory-made substances, such as nicotine. But understanding the terms can be a bit more complicated. Today we’ll look at each and what they mean. The next time you pick up a product that claims to include tobacco-free nicotine, you’ll know what the nicotine manufacturer is trying to say.
Tobacco Products
When you look at the FDA’s regulations for e-cigs and e-juices, you will find that it applies to what is called a “tobacco product.” The legal definition states that a tobacco product is “any product made or derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption, including any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product.” Since most e-juice is made from tobacco, it applies. The same holds for vaping products, parts, and accessories.
Synthetic vs. Natural Nicotine
Looking at nicotine as a chemical, the formula is C10 H14 N2, which means it contains ten atoms of carbon, 14 atoms of hydrogen, and two atoms of nitrogen. Whether a nicotine molecule is removed from a tobacco plant or somewhere else, they make the same structure and appear to be the same thing.
When a nicotine manufacturer provides natural nicotine, that means it has been obtained from a tobacco plant. There are other plants that have nicotine, such as potato, eggplant, and tomato, but in lower quantities than tobacco.
Synthetic nicotine is made by something not related to tobacco. It can be produced from ethanol, niacin, and sulphuric acid, just to name a few. There are multiple steps to make this nicotine, but in the end, it is the same substance from a different source.
Tobacco-free nicotine is another descriptor that you may see on nicotine, and it simply means that the nicotine doesn’t come from tobacco. It might be synthetic, or it might come from another food source, like a tomato.
FDA & Synthetics
Some individuals believe that nicotine that isn’t made from tobacco should not be considered a tobacco product and would not be required to follow the same regulations. However, it remains to be seen whether or not synthetic nicotine will simply be added by tweaking regulations. Choosing synthetic nicotine vs. natural is a personal choice, and based on regulations it isn’t something that is needed for now. That could all change in the future, however. When looking for a nicotine manufacturer consider BGP Europe AG. See what they have at www.purenic.biz. You can also like our Facebook page for more information.
