What's Inside Your E-Liquid?
Table of Contents
Whether you're new to vaping or have been choosing it as a smoking alternative for a while, you're likely not familiar with the components that actually make up the vape liquid that is heated and turned into an aerosol which is inhaled. Luckily for you, this blog post will teach you everything there is to know about what's inside your premium SMOKO E-Cigarette.
WHAT ARE THE TWO MAIN INGREDIENTS IN E-LIQUIDS?
There are two main ingredients that make up your vaping liquid. These are propylene glycol, or PG, and vegetable glycerine, commonly referred to as VG.
WHAT IS PG - PROPYLENE GLYCOL?
Out of the two ingredients used in e-liquids, PG is considered to be the more popular choice for smokers as it replicates the "throat-hit" they're used to when smoking (1). PG has no odour or colour, and is a chemical that lasts longer between coil changes due to its lower density. PG also holds flavour better than VG, and so is more liked by those that crave a strong taste from their vape refills. However, one downside to PG is that it has a wider range of allergic reactions than VG does - ranging from anything like a tingling throat sensation to a dry mouth that might be unpleasant for some.
WHAT IS VG - VEGETABLE GLYCERINE?
VG is known to be thicker than PG, lending to smoother consistencies and a more subtle flavour. It also produces more vapour than PG. However, the thicker consistency does mean that you may need a more powerful device, your tank may need cleaning more than usual, and it also can increase phlegm production at the back of some smokers' throats. VG also has a sweeter taste, and so is perfect for those with a sweet tooth. It also causes far fewer allergic reactions than have been reported with PG, so might be the better option for those that are sensitive to a lot of allergens.
WHAT TYPE OF E-LIQUID SHOULD I CHOOSE? HIGH PG OR HIGH VG?
Ultimately, what you choose to fill your vape with is up to you. Do you want to prioritise tank maintenance or flavour? The throat-hit or vapour production? It should be noted that many e-liquid suppliers such as SMOKO offer a combination of the two components in order to reap the benefits of each and minimise the downsides. One of the most ideal combinations we've found is 70-30 VG-PG.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT E-CIGARETTE FLAVOURINGS?
Flavourings are added to the e-liquid to make the experience a pleasant one. In the UK and the EU there is good regulation in place for what ingredients can be used in E-Cigarettes.
You may well have seen some of the E-Cigarette ‘horror stories’ in the newspapers about the number of people suffering from EVALI – E-Cigarette and Vaping Associated Lung Injury. The crux of this particular matter is about what is being added to the e-liquid that is causing this kind of damage.
The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aware of vaping related lung injury from adding illicit substances like THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis) to their e-liquid. In order to mix in the THC and keep the consistency, these people are using vitamin E acetate to add in the THC. According to the CDC, vitamin E acetate has been found in all samples of EVALI patients. (2)
One flavouring that is known to cause damage is diacetyl. This is a flavouring that was used to flavour popcorn in popcorn factories, but the workers developed severe lung damage as it caused a disease named ‘bronchiolitis obliterans’ - aptly nicknamed ‘popcorn lung’. Sadly, the lack of strong regulation in the US and other countries has led to the inclusion of diacetyl as a flavouring. (3)
*2024 Update - The lack of regulation has led to the FDA banning all flavoured e-liquids apart from tobacco and menthol in an effort to reduce the appeal to children. (4)
If you would like to learn more about the more harmful chemicals that can be found in some e-liquids, check out the SMOKO blog ‘Harmful chemicals you should avoid in e-liquids’. Do remember that UK-made liquids are subject to a high standard of regulation – so if in doubt, buy British!
WHAT ABOUT THE NICOTINE IN E-LIQUID?
Nicotine is the third main ingredient in e-liquids, allowing smokers to get their nicotine without inhaling all of the harmful stuff that comes along with burning tobacco.
What we do see in e-liquids is two different types of nicotine: freebase nicotine and nicotine salt, also known as 'nic salt'. Freebase nicotine is the purest form, where nic salt is the form found naturally in the tobacco leaf. Where E-Cigarettes began using freebase nicotine, the use of nic salt came along a little later and is now seen predominantly in disposable vapes.
Nic salt is made by using acid mixed in solution with freebase nicotine, creating the protonated nicotine, which is nicotine salt (5). Nic salts allow for stronger liquids because nic salt particles don't get absorbed in the throat which means a massively reduced throat hit. It is thought that this means more nic salt particles reach the lungs which is why nic salts are often touted as having better nicotine absorption - however our article on nic salt vs freebase nicotine explains why this may not be the case.
WHAT'S INSIDE YOUR E-LIQUID - CONCLUSION
Whichever balance you go for, just remember that E-Cigarettes are 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes according to Public Health England (6) - be sure to buy from countries with good levels of regulation, like the UK!
*2022 Update - The new SMOKO VAPE POD STARTER KIT is sleek, convenient, discreet and easy to use - with pre-filled PODs for your convenience! Make the switch today!
REFERENCES
(2) Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with the Use of E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products
(5) Characterization of Nicotine Salts in 23 Electronic Cigarette Refill Liquids
(6) E-cigarettes around 95% less harmful than tobacco estimates landmark review
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Written by Mike Cameron
Mike Cameron is a former smoker of 15 years (2 packs a day) until he successfully quit using a cigalike. Mike is the Co-Founder and CEO of SMOKO E-Cigarettes and over the last 10 years, SMOKO has prevented 600M+ cigarettes from being smoked, helped their customers save £320M+ of their hard-earned money from going up in smoke and helped 10,000’s of adult smokers in 25+ countries to live smoke-free.
