What’s in Your Pouch? Testing Standards We Stick To (And Why) 

You deserve more than just a wide assortment of flavors and strengths to choose from when it comes to your nicotine pouches. You deserve quality you can trust. That’s why we go beyond the basics when it comes to testing—acting as your frontline filter for transparent product information and safety standards to give you extra peace of mind every time you shop. 

It’s true that not all nicotine is created equal. With the growing popularity of pouches across the US, it’s only natural that some brands are now starting to worry about a rise in illicit imitation products. Not only do they threaten to undermine the credibility of compliant products, they risk potentially adverse effects among unknowing consumers.

As part of our commitment to bringing you the very best, we implemented testing and auditing processes back in 2021 with an independent lab based in Sweden (a.k.a. the home of nicotine pouches). All the results are published via Nicoleaks and help us ensure every new product we stock ticks certain boxes, otherwise we won’t sell it. Simple as that. 

• Nicotine Levels - No product we stock exceeds 20mg per pouch. This is comparable to a cigarette and has been chosen as our maximum nicotine limit to support quality and consistency. 
  
  
• pH Levels - We also check that every pouch falls between 5.6 and 9.1 on the pH scale. Why? Because pH affects not only how your body absorbs nicotine, but also your oral health. High levels can harm the gum membrane, while if the levels are too low, you’re more likely to damage your tooth enamel.
  
  
• Heavy Metals & Foreign Substances - We look for traces of any unwanted materials in our nicotine pouches too (including but not limited to):
   

  • Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) 

  • Arsenic (As) 
  • Lead (Pb) 
  • Mercury (Hg) 
  • Aflatoxin 
  • Ochratoxin 
  • Benzo(a)pyre 
  • Chromium (Cr) 
  • Nickel (Ni) 

Our approach to product testing combines industry-leading standards and our own internal benchmarks. We rely on: 

• SIS/TS 72:2024 – The Swedish Institute for Standards' safety and quality guide for tobacco-free nicotine pouches (since Sweden invented these products and is leading the way in terms of their production, distribution and regulation). 
  
  
• Internal Protocols – Our Supplier Code of Conduct and marketing/product standards bring another layer of accountability to what we do. Every brand we partner with must:
  
  

  • Adhere to US tobacco product regulations, including those enforced by the FDA and state-specific retail laws;

     

  • Pass operational checks of their manufacturing processes and ingredient sourcing;

     

  • Provide full documentation and traceability, so we know exactly what’s in every pouch.
    
    

Unregulated nicotine products from countries like China are starting to flood the market, underscoring the urgent need for testing to keep the industry in check and safeguard against potentially harmful, mislabeled substances.  

We only work with brands that match our commitment to high quality products and transparent approach to sharing that information with adult nicotine users. 

Our testing isn't just about compliance—it's about protecting consumers and raising the bar for what this industry should look like.

Dr. Marina Murphy

Senior Director of Scientific Affairs, Nicokick

We firmly believe that when it comes to nicotine pouches, you shouldn’t have to guess about what you’re putting in your mouth—and with Nicokick, you don’t have to.