Information  /  Synthetic nicotine

Synthetic nicotine is nicotine made without extracting it from tobacco plants. It is still nicotine, it is addictive, and it is not the same thing as a nicotine analogue.

Last reviewed: 25th September 2026

QUICK ANSWER

The word synthetic describes where the nicotine came from, not a different drug. Instead of being extracted from tobacco leaves, the nicotine is produced using chemical processes in a laboratory.

It can be used in products such as vapes and nicotine pouches. A product being described as tobacco-free does not mean it is nicotine-free.

Tobacco-derived nicotine is extracted from the tobacco plant. Synthetic nicotine is made without extracting nicotine from tobacco leaves.

Both are nicotine. The source may be different, but nicotine can still cause dependence and withdrawal. The health risks of a finished product depend on more than where its nicotine came from — including the product itself, its ingredients, dose and how it is used.

This distinction matters. Synthetic nicotine is nicotine. A nicotine analogue is a different chemical designed or selected because it behaves in a nicotine-like way.

One example being studied internationally is 6-methyl nicotine (6-MN). If you are looking at nicotine-like chemicals rather than nicotine itself, read our guide to nicotine analogues.

Synthetic nicotine has been used internationally in products including e-cigarettes and oral nicotine products. Product labels may use wording such as synthetic nicotine, non-tobacco nicotine or tobacco-free nicotine.

Those phrases should not be treated as interchangeable with “nicotine-free”. Not every vape, pouch or newer nicotine product contains synthetic nicotine, so the packet and ingredient information matter.

Making nicotine without tobacco does not make nicotine non-addictive. Nicotine can cause dependence regardless of its source.

It is better to compare the risks of the whole product rather than assume a product is safer simply because its nicotine was made in a laboratory. For example, the risks of smoking are driven mainly by toxic chemicals created when tobacco burns, while other nicotine products have different risk profiles.

UK Government guidance for the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 applies in Wales and states that the nicotine-product rules include all types of nicotine, including synthetic nicotine produced in a lab rather than extracted from plants.

Some measures affecting vape and nicotine-product sales begin on 29th October 2026. See our Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 guide for the timeline and what changes next.

• Check the packet for nicotine content, strength and ingredients.
• Do not assume “tobacco-free” means “nicotine-free”.
• Look for whether the product contains nicotine itself or names another nicotine-like chemical.
• Keep nicotine products away from children and pets.
• If the product name or ingredient is unfamiliar, start with our emerging-products guide rather than guessing from the branding.

These pages explain the terms people are most likely to see together.