An Alternative To Nicotine Pouches That DON’T Taste Like Ass

Gum sucks. Patches make me sleep walk and feel nauseous. I like nicotine pouches but they’re expensive and ride my gums too hard.

I’ve been a heavy vaper for years, and while vaping helped me kick a 15-year smoking habit, I eventually hit a point (two young kids, turned 41) where I just wanted to slow down and give my lungs a bit of a rest, maybe taper off nicotine for good.

So I turned to nicotine pouches.

And they worked… sort of. But there are downsides, notably the taste (it isn’t brilliant) and the way they make your gums feel.

The Problem With Nicotine Pouches (Nobody Talks About This)

Nicotine pouches definitely take the edge off. The hit is more or less instant and, for many, they’re basically the way to go (and that includes RFK Jnr, seemingly).

Pin

I’d pop one in after breakfast, another when I started works, another an hour or two later, one on the way to do a food shop, one while making dinner, one after dinner, one in bed while reading.

And it worked, I cut my vaping down to almost nothing. I was still mainlining nicotine like nobody’s business, but my lungs were taking a nice vacation. I still vape, of course. It’s now just at weekends here and there, when I’m out with my buddies.

Here’s the thing, though:

• They don’t taste great – Even the ones I like best aren’t going to win any prizes.
• Gum irritation is real – Not major, but over time they do make your gums feel a little tender.
• They’re not cheap – I was burning through a can every 1–2 days. That adds up fast.

My go-to brands were VELO and ZYN, as well as ALP’s awesome range of pouches. If you wanna start with pouches, these brands are a good place to start. They work, and as NRTs go they run rings around inhalers, gum, and patches.

But then I randomly stumbled across NicPix at a vape trade show earlier this year, and I found myself something new to add into my NRT stack.

NicPix: The Best Nicotine Pouch Alternative I’ve Found

Now, if you’re anything like me, you probably didn’t know that nicotine toothpicks were actually a thing.

I didn’t expect them to work, let alone replace my pouches but the sample pack I got impressed me so much I not only ended up using them long-term but also added them to our store.

Three months in, here’s why I like NicPix for tapering off a vaping habit (over nicotine pouches):

• Tastes miles better – Bar salt-style flavors like Blueberry Sour Raspberry, triple mango, and sour pineapple (that actually taste like those flavors).
• No vapour, no smell – Nobody knows you’re using them.
• No mouth burn – Just a slow, smooth release of nicotine.
• You can use them literally anywhere – On planes, in offices, at the gym, wherever.
• They’re cheaper – £3.99 for 20 sticks that last up to 45 minutes each.
• Way less physically addictive – You don’t get that same anxious “I need a pouch now” feeling.
• Lower nicotine hit – About 2mg per pick. Enough to chill you out, not jack you up.

I keep a pack on me most of the time, a spare one in the car, and a few in my office. When I feel a craving, I just pop it in and chew lightly. The flavor kicks in fast, and the urge disappears like a fart in the wind.

And unlike pouches, I don’t feel the need to use them constantly. They’ve helped break the habit part of vaping — the putting it in your mouth and inhaling part. .

Three Months In: Where I’m At Now

Pin

I went from vaping all day and using pouches as backup to now using just NicPix and the occasional pod vape (maybe once or twice a week), and the odd pouch here and there but my usage of these has gone down massively too.

The goal was to reduce my vaping (by any means necessary; to get away from the habitual way I was doing it) and this approach has helped me do that.

I’ve saved money, stopped irritating my gums, and don’t feel like I’m chained to a device anymore.

Is NicPix going to solve everyone’s vaping addiction? Depends. It’s great for tapering off a habit; that’s what I used it for. And you could use them as an alternative to pouches which most people don’t tend to like (it’s the taste; it’s not great).

If you’re looking for a cleaner, cheaper, less intense way to manage cravings while cutting back, I reckon nicotine toothpicks are definitely worth a look (and they’re only £3.99 a pack as well (about 50% cheaper than pouches).