Are Nicotine Toothpicks Safe? An Honest Answer

This is the first question most people ask before they try a nicotine toothpick. Here is a straight answer.

The short version

A Stokes pick is a birch toothpick with 5 mg of nicotine and organic flavor in the wood. There is no tobacco, no smoke and no vapor. You do not inhale anything.

Nicotine is still nicotine. It is an addictive chemical. If you do not already use nicotine, do not start. Stokes picks are for adults 21 and over who already use nicotine.

What is in a pick

Five ingredients:

• American white birch
• 5 mg of pure, tobacco-free nicotine
• Certified organic flavors
• Organic monk fruit
• Vegetable glycerin

No tobacco leaf, no sugar, no sucralose, nothing artificial. The full list is in our ingredient guide.

What nicotine does

Nicotine is a stimulant. It can raise your heart rate and blood pressure for a while. It can make you feel dizzy or sick if you take too much, especially if you are new to it. It is addictive, and stopping can be hard.

A Stokes pick releases its nicotine slowly over 20 to 60 minutes. That feels steadier than a pouch or a vape, but the nicotine is the same chemical. Start with one pick and wait before you take another.

Who should not use them

• Anyone under 21
• Anyone who is pregnant or nursing
• Anyone whose doctor has told them to avoid nicotine
• Anyone who does not already use nicotine

If you have a heart condition or take prescription medication, talk to your doctor first. Keep the picks away from children and pets.

Common side effects

Most people feel a tingle in the mouth where the pick sits. That is normal. Some people get hiccups, a faster heartbeat or mild nausea, usually when they use too many picks too fast. If that happens, take the pick out and wait longer next time.

What about your teeth and gums

Hold the pick between your cheek and gum and switch sides now and then. Do not chew it. Wood can splinter if you bite down. If you have gum problems, ask your dentist before you use any oral nicotine product.

What we do not know

Nicotine toothpicks are a new kind of product. There are no long-term studies on them. We are not going to pretend otherwise. We can tell you exactly what is in a pick. We cannot tell you what years of use will do.

What Stokes picks are not

They are not a medicine. They are not approved to help anyone quit smoking or vaping, and we do not sell them for that. If you want to quit nicotine, talk to your doctor about options that are approved for it.

The bottom line

A Stokes pick is a simple product: birch, nicotine, organic flavor, monk fruit and vegetable glycerin. Nothing burns and nothing is inhaled. But nicotine is addictive, and the picks are only for adults 21 and over who already use it. If that is you, you can see the four flavors and read how a pick works.