Nicotine Pouches vs Snus: What's the Difference?
For adults 21+ who already use nicotine.
Snus and nicotine pouches look almost the same: a small pouch you tuck under your upper lip. Many people use the words interchangeably, but they aren't the same product. The short version is that snus is made with tobacco, and nicotine pouches aren't.
The quick comparison
| Snus | Nicotine pouches (like NÜM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Made with tobacco leaf? | Yes. Ground tobacco is the main ingredient. | No. They contain no tobacco leaf. |
| Contains nicotine? | Yes | Yes |
| How it's used | Between the gum and upper lip | Between the gum and upper lip |
| Smoke or flame? | No | No |
| Spitting? | Not usually | No |
| Typical look | Usually brown, moist tobacco | Usually a white pouch, because there's no tobacco inside |
| Flavors | Often tobacco-forward, plus mint and others | Mint, fruit and more. NÜM has 3 mints and 3 fruits. |
What snus is
Snus is a traditional oral tobacco product with roots in Scandinavia. It's made from ground tobacco leaf, usually with water, salt and flavorings, and sold loose or in small portion pouches.
What a nicotine pouch is
A nicotine pouch is a pre-portioned pouch filled with a powder containing nicotine and flavorings, with no tobacco leaf. That's why nicotine pouches are often called "tobacco-free." It's also why the flavor tends to come through clearly: there's no tobacco taste underneath the mint or fruit. Tobacco-free doesn't mean nicotine-free, though. Every nicotine pouch, including every NÜM pouch, contains nicotine.
Strength: how the numbers work
Nicotine pouches are labeled by the amount of nicotine in each pouch. NÜM comes in 6mg (light), 12mg (medium) and 24mg (strong). If you're coming from another product, pick the NÜM strength closest to what you use now, and start lower if you're unsure. See the NÜM strength chart, or read about 24mg nicotine pouches if you're an experienced user.
Where NÜM fits
NÜM makes tobacco-free nicotine pouches in two lines:
- Ice Breaker Series (blue cans): Cool Mint, Spearmint, Miami Mint
- Pink Burst Line (pink cans): Pink Lemonade, Frosé, Guava Glow (restocking soon)
Each can holds 20 pouches, and orders ship by UPS within one business day. More detail is on our tobacco-free nicotine pouches page and in the Flavor Guide. New to pouches altogether? Start with Nicotine Pouches 101.
FAQ
Are nicotine pouches the same as snus?
No. They're used the same way, but snus contains tobacco leaf and nicotine pouches don't. Adults 21+ switching formats can follow our step-by-step pouch guide.
Do nicotine pouches have tobacco in them?
No tobacco leaf. They do contain nicotine.
Who can buy NÜM?
Adults 21 and over only. Age is verified before you can shop, and an adult signature (21+) may be required at delivery.
For adults 21+ only.
WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.