Getting the nicotine level in your e-cigarette right is a no-brainer for a vaper. If they get it wrong then their enjoyment and satisfaction when vaping can be severely diminished – in fact, you might argue there’s little point in vaping if you’re not happy with the level of nicotine in your e-liquid. Now, that’s all very well, but how do you go about ascertaining what level’s right for you with little knowledge beforehand? How do you avoid jeopardising your enjoyment of vape flavours forever by taking ages to find it, perhaps by just stumbling upon it? Well, at No. 1 Ejuice, we’re here to help and only too happy to do so…
Nicotine and cigarettes
As most vapers are smokers looking to make the switch – and so, eventually former smokers – it’s perhaps pertinent here to look at the issue of nicotine in relation to cigarettes. Now, contrary to popular belief, nicotine isn’t actually that harmful to the body; it’s certainly not carcinogenic. What it is, though, is a stimulant and the addictive element in the cigarette – it’s what people crave for and pulls them back to the ciggies for drag after drag; which, of course, will do their body harm thanks to all the hazardous toxins contained in the cig’s tobacco tar.
To that end then, when you try to select and go for the correct nicotine strength in an e liquid it will certainly be initially dependent on how much you smoke already – and the kind of ciggies you usually smoke. The higher the nicotine content in your cigs, the more you’re likely to need in your early e-cig pulls; pretty simple really. After that, you may want to start reducing the nicotine level to wean yourself off the stuff and slowly reduce the cravings; it’s entirely up to you.
The different nicotine strengths
So then, the following are rough parameters you might want to bear in mind when preparing to vape – they should help you choose the right nicotine level for you:
- 0mg (0%) – this won’t be enough for you unless you’re a very light smoker; something to work up to, though?
- 6mg (0.6%) – a very light level; appropriate perhaps for smokers of the likes of Capri or Pall Mall ultra-lights
- 12mg (1.2%) – generally a light nicotine level, but one that may be familiar to a fair number of smokers (maybe those who go through less than a pack of cigs a day)
- 18mg (1.8%) – pretty much where the majority of smokers will probably fall, this category would likely be a good starting point; appropriate for regular-cigarette smokers who go through up to a pack a day
- 24mg (2.4%) – should you usually opt for rolled ciggies or full-flavoured brands and smoke more than a pack a day, this may well be a suitable starting level
- 36mg (3.6%) and up – pretty much the top bracket in e-liquid nicotine terms, this one may well be high, but if you’re trying to come off two or more packs of the ciggies a day and are definitely a heavy smoker, you’ll need to start at a point that’s going to be best for you… and this may well be it.
So, as a novice vaper, you should now have some idea where you might start with your nicotine level, based (as mentioned) on your past experiences as a tobacco smoker and so the amount of nicotine you’re already used to consuming. One thing to bear in mind, in fact, is not to be too cautious. As you’re moving on from the ciggies, the temptation may be to drop a nicotine level or two in the hopes of a ‘better-for-you’ outcome with vaping from the start, but this could back-fire because your body will simply need a relatively regular amount of nicotine – at least, to start with.
Plus, don’t forget too that, like so many things, there’s inevitably going to be a fair amount of trial and error to this process – so don’t be afraid to seek out the opinion of someone in the know or do some online research!