Before we start, please note TFN – Tobacco Free Nicotine is not currently available in South Africa.
Tobacco Free Nicotine (TFN), is the latest groundbreaking invention in the vaping industry. Not much is known about it, which is why we are going to break down fact from fiction for you. There is still a lot of research that needs to be done before TFN products are distributed to wider markets, but it is only a matter of time before we start seeing them everywhere. You might be presented with the TFN option in good time so we are going to help you stay ready, so you never have to get ready!
What Is Tobacco Free Nicotine?
Tobacco Free Nicotine (TFN) or synthetic nicotine is lab engineered nicotine using various chemicals as opposed to nicotine being extracted from tobacco plants. The nicotine in freebase and saltnic e-liquids that we know and love are produced by extracting nicotine from tobacco plants.
How Is Tobacco Free Nicotine Made?
Since TFN is a synthetic substance, the making of it is complex and somewhat costly for manufacturers. Chemical engineers have discovered a method to completely mimic the nicotine alkaloid that is present in tobacco plants. Using advanced molecular technology, they can rearrange molecules that are naturally occurring in certain plant compounds to recreate a pure nicotine compound that’s identical to the nicotine compound present in tobacco plants.
The great thing about this method is that the base ingredients for synthesis can differ according to what the manufacturer prefers. However, at the end of the day, whatever the base ingredients are, the end result will always be consistent – 100% pure nicotine, free of impurities, odourless and flavourless.
How Does Tobacco Free Nicotine Differ From Tobacco Based Nicotine?
The difference lies in how the two are made and the additional processing that occurs before it is released to the market. TFN is made in a lab, using chemicals to recreate pure nicotine. As a result of precise chemical engineering, TFN has little to no impurities, making it one of the purest versions of nicotine available on the market.
Tobacco based nicotine, on the other hand, is extracted from the tobacco plant. Occasionally, certain impurities can withstand the extraction process and carry over in the final version of the product. The last difference between the two is the additional processing, specifically the extra flavouring that is required. TFN needs little to no extra flavouring due to the pureness of the product. Tobacco based nicotine on the other generally requires more flavouring to mask the taste of nicotine or, more specifically, to mask the taste of impurities.
Is Tobacco Free Nicotine Healthier Than Tobacco Based Nicotine?
Theoretically, yes! TFN is healthier than tobacco based nicotine, mostly on account of TFN having no impurities associated with the tobacco plant. However, practically, nicotine is a highly addictive substance, regardless of how it is produced and as such, it should be used with extreme caution. Apart from its highly addictive nature, nicotine is actually a relatively harmless substance that naturally occurs – in significantly low concentrations – in many foods such as peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes.
It is fairly difficult to say with 100% certainty that TFN is healthier without more research on TFN being done, however, we can say that TFN doesn’t contain potentially harmful compounds that are commonly found in tobacco based nicotine. As a result, it is easy to see why one would prefer to use TFN over tobacco based nicotine. This is especially significant since TFN products taste no different from their tobacco based nicotine product counterparts. Nicotine users will feel no new effects, sensations, or experience less nicotine cravings from TFN containing products – so why not choose the purer option?
Is Tobacco Free Nicotine Safe To Vape?
Since TFN is simply a purer version of nicotine, yes, it is 100% safe to vape tobacco-free nicotine products. Despite the synthesis process of TFN being more expensive than the traditional nicotine extraction from tobacco plants methods, many manufacturers are leaning towards producing more TFN-based products. Many popular vaping brands are creating alternative TFN lines of their popular products and are making plans to switch over completely to the synthetic nicotine model.Â
Synthetic nicotine (TFN) e-liquids are becoming increasingly popular in other parts of the world. These can be found in traditional e-liquid bottles as well as in some disposables. Some manufacturers have created TFN lines for both their freebase and saltnic products so that vapers can continue to enjoy their vaping experience in healthier ways.
What Are The Benefits To Using Tobacco Free Nicotine?
There are two things that stand out in favour of tobacco free nicotine:
- No impurities
The lack of impurities is highly beneficial for both vapers and e-liquid manufacturers. Vapers get a better tasting product, and manufacturers don’t need to use as much flavouring to mask the taste of nicotine from tobacco plants. Furthermore, because tobacco free nicotine is made in a lab with precision, manufacturers won’t be at the mercy of weather patterns such as droughts or other risks associated with agriculture when making their products.
- Improved taste
Because tobacco free nicotine is 100% pure nicotine, the final product is flavourless and odourless, leaving plenty of room to play around with the final formula. TFN e-liquids have a significantly more pronounced flavourful taste and aroma. With tobacco based nicotine, this level of taste and aroma was unattainable because of the impurities from the tobacco plant that greatly affected the taste of the final e-liquid formulation.
Tobacco free nicotine is not just a fleeting idea, it is something that is set to introduce a new way of experiencing nicotine to curb those daily nicotine cravings, without depending on the tobacco plant. It is only a matter of time before all we know are TFN products. TFN e-liquid definitely offers an improved taste compared to their freebase and saltnic counterparts because of the lack of impurities and the added flavour. The rise of TFN products have far-reaching implications, the tobacco industry is worth billions of dollars and if TFN products are going to become highly commercialised, this could eventually affect tobacco farming – especially if more people stop the use of cigarettes.
