How Nicotine Toothpicks Work and What to Expect

Yes, they work. A nicotine toothpick gives you nicotine the same way a pouch or gum does, through the inside of your mouth. Here is how, and what to expect the first time.

How the nicotine gets into the wood

Each Stokes pick is a piece of American white birch. The wood soaks up a mix of nicotine, organic flavor, organic monk fruit and vegetable glycerin. When the pick is in your mouth, your saliva draws that mix back out of the wood. The nicotine passes through the lining of your mouth.

Every pick has 5 mg of nicotine. That is the same in all four flavors.

How to use one

1. Take one pick out of the pack.
2. Put it between your cheek and gum, like any toothpick.
3. Leave it there. Move it to the other side of your mouth now and then.
4. When the flavor fades, flip to the unused end.
5. When both ends are done, throw it away.

Do not chew it. Wood can splinter if you bite down. Chewing does not make it stronger. Do not swallow any part of it.

How long it takes to feel

Most people feel a tingle where the pick sits within a minute or two. That is the nicotine. The flavor is strongest at the start and settles as you go.

How long one pick lasts

Most people keep a pick in for 20 to 60 minutes. Flipping to the fresh end gets you more out of it. One pick is one session.

What the first one feels like

If you already use nicotine, a pick will feel steadier and slower than a pouch or a vape. If you are new to nicotine, 5 mg is a real dose. Start with one pick and wait before you take another. Too much nicotine can make you dizzy or sick.

Why the release is slow

A pouch puts nicotine powder right against your gum, so it comes out fast. In a pick, the nicotine is inside the wood and comes out as the wood gets wet. That takes longer, which is why a pick lasts longer and feels less intense.

Storing your picks

Keep the pack sealed and somewhere cool and dry. Heat, sunlight and humidity dull the flavor.

A few reminders

Nicotine is an addictive chemical. Stokes picks are for adults 21 and over who already use nicotine. They are not a product to help you quit, and we do not sell them as one. Keep them away from children and pets.

Want to know more about what is in a pick? Read the ingredient guide. Ready to try one? Vanilla Mint is the mildest place to start.