WHAT NICOTINE STRENGTH SHOULD YOU CHOOSE FOR YOUR E-CIGS & VAPES
To choose the right nicotine strength for your e-liquid you need to consider how many cigarettes you smoke per day. Heavy smokers consuming more than 20 cigarettes per day should make the switch with a 2.0% or 20mg/ml liquid, an average smoker consuming between 10 and 20 cigarettes could switch with a 1.8% liquid, with light smokers aiming for a 1.5% or 1.1% liquid on a low power vape device.
INTRODUCTION
*2023 Update - Now you can make the switch with our UK-made liquids in the New SMOKO VAPE POD!
Choosing the correct nicotine strength for your e-cigarette is a very important decision. The wrong choice could make your efforts to quit smoking harder and leave you wanting to a cigarette. To help make this decision easier, we have put together a list of factors that should be considered when looking at different e-liquid strengths.
If you smoke more than one pack per day or you are new to e-cigarettes, then choosing a 2.0% nicotine strength would likely work best for you. We always suggest that if you are new to vaping then you should really start with the highest nicotine strength first and then work your way down. Being able to quit smoking is hard enough without having to give up nicotine as well.
The nicotine rush that you get from an e-cigarette can be different compared to cigarettes, but choosing the right strength will be more than enough to satisfy your cravings without overwhelming your system with nicotine.
ESTIMATING THE NICOTINE INTAKE PER CIGARETTE
It has been estimated that the average person consumes approximately 1mg of nicotine per cigarette. Clearly, when dealing with quantities of nicotine and its effect on each person, the size and the length of time a person has been smoking must be considered. A large person who has been smoking for decades will be less affected by 1mg of nicotine, than a smaller person who has recently taken up the habit.
WHICH NICOTINE STRENGTH IS BEST FOR ME?
Nicotine strength on e-liquids and e-cigarette refills can be displayed in numerous different ways. Some companies show this numerical value in mg’s while other vape shops display the nicotine strength as a % of the total volume of vape juice. They both mean the same thing, the amount of nicotine within each millilitre (ml) of e-liquid. At SMOKO, all of our e-cigarette and vape products display both the MG and the % of nicotine.
The following list is what we would suggest the correct nicotine level would be for an adult smoker who is quitting cigarettes and trying a vape or cigalike for the first time:
1.1% (11mg) – a few cigarettes a day (very light/social smokers)
1.5% (15mg) – less than 10 cigarettes a day (light/social smokers)
1.8% (18mg) – 10 to 20 cigarettes a day (average smokers)
2.0% (20mg) - SMOKO always recommend the 2.0% if you are currently smoking cigarettes and wanting to use vaping to quit tobacco all together
If you want to know more, check out the SMOKO blog about how to measure nicotine strength!
CHOOSING THE WRONG NICOTINE STRENGTH
If you are used to smoking traditional cigarettes, your body has become used to having a certain amount of nicotine. If you choose an e-cigarette or e-liquid with less nicotine than your usual cigarette, you may find your cravings are still there. This could make you vape more or even vape and smoke at the same time. Obviously the idea of switching to vaping is to get rid of the 4000+ chemicals and 50 carcinogens in cigarettes, so you want your e-cig to be strong enough.
If you are brand new to using e-cigarettes, SMOKO suggest starting with the top nicotine 2.0% strength as that would be what you are used to. We have talked about this before, but studies have shown that starting at high nicotine strength has a higher success rate than starting on a lower strength.
Some people when they first start vaping believe they need to cut the nicotine level down immediately. However, cutting out cigarettes and switching to an ultra low nicotine e-cigarette will leave your cravings unsatisfied.
One of the most important goals when you quit smoking with the help of an electronic cigarette is to get rid of the tar, carbon monoxide and endless toxins found in traditional tobacco products. So start with a strong nicotine e-cig refill or e-liquid and then when you feel 100% comfortable, you can start to lower your nicotine level. For some people, this process can take a couple of weeks and for others maybe a couple of months, but this has been proven and can be done.
For other people, they are happy to continue vaping knowing they have removed 99% of the toxins they used to put into their bodies every day!
For other people, they are happy to continue vaping knowing they have removed 99% of the toxins they used to put into their bodies every day!
IS THE VAPING TECNIQUE DIFFERENT TO SMOKING A CIGARETTE?
When you have made the transition to e-cigarettes, you may find that with the wrong nicotine refill and an incorrect vaping technique may make you start to cough a little. But don't worry, as there are a few reasons why you may cough when you vape.
When looking at all the e-cigarette and vaping websites, you may see the letters MTL and DTL and you are probably thinking what do these mean and why should I know about these. The answer to that is quite simple.
WHAT IS MTL VAPING?
Most people who smoke traditional cigarettes use this technique - drawing the vapour from your e-cigarette into your mouth and then inhaling it back. This is referred to as Mouth To Lung vaping.
MTL vaping kits and e-cigarettes (MTL devices - MTL vapers, MTL Coils, MTL Tanks) are designed to work with a similar inhalation technique as smoking a normal cigarette. It means you have more control over the amount of vapour you are inhaling.
When you are using a beginner vape or cigalike, we would always suggest finding a MTL style of vapes as it as similar to a cigarette as you can get.
When you are using a beginner vape or cigalike, we would always suggest finding a MTL style of vapes as it as similar to a cigarette as you can get.
WHAT IS DTL VAPING
DTL is the second style of vaping. It means Direct To Lung. When you activate your vape device (vape tank), the vapour is "pushed" into your lungs. The DTL vaping style is what more advanced vapers would use and produce a huge amount of "cloud".
When you are using a DTL vape mod or box mod device, you will need to use a much lower nicotine strength due to the sheer quantity of vapour that is "pushed" into your lungs. For many people who are beginning to vape for the first time, if they try a larger DTL vape kit, they may find it overpowering and the throat hit may be way too strong.
So if you are an adult smoker looking to quit smoking, we would recommend starting with a smaller MTL (Mouth To Lung) cigalike or vape pod kit until you get used to it.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF I VAPE THE WRONG NICOTINE STRENGTH?
If you are new to e-cigarettes and have chosen a nicotine strength that is too much for you to handle, then you may experience a few of the following symptoms:
Headache
Dizziness
Mild nausea
Coughing
If you experience any of these symptoms, you may be vaping too much or your e-liquid may have too much nicotine in it. So try to reduce the number of puffs you take on your vape. We recommend that 5 to 7 long and slow puffs on a cigalike will give you the similar amount of nicotine as one traditional cigarettes.
If you are still experiencing some of these symptoms, you may want to try a slight lower nicotine strength. It can be a bit of trial and error to find the perfect nicotine strength in your e-cigarette and e-liquids (even nicotine free), but is is worth it. Switching back to cigarettes will only lead to increased health risks in the long run.
HOW TO MATCH DAILY NICOTINE INTAKE WHEN CHANGING FROM CIGARETTES TO E-CIGARETTES & VAPES
Those switching to e-cigarettes, vapes, and e-liquids should be prepared for a little trial and error to find the nicotine content that works best for them. As a ball-park figure, smokers who smoked fewer than 5/6 cigarettes a day may want to try an e-liquid with 1.1% (11mg) nicotine in a 10ml bottle. Those smoking 6 to 15 cigarettes per day might try a 1.5% – 1.8% (15 - 18mg) concentration and those smoking 20 a day or more should look for a 2.0% (20mg) nicotine.
If you are an experienced cigarette smoker and would like to try e-cigarettes as a healthier alternative or you would like to quit all together, than SMOKO would always say that it is best to start with the highest strength of nicotine (2.0%) and then work your way down. But this all to personal preference!
It does not matter if you have picked up a higher strength of nicotine, just as long as you are vaping instead of smoking. The leading health organization Public Health England have stated publicly:
Those that want a device were they can change the ohm coil on their device, should be careful as you do not want a huge amount of power to knock your socks off - coil resistance is key in this sort of device.
Just remember - finding the correct nicotine level is a process and It may take one or two attempts, but once you are satisfied, then you are ready to start the process of quitting to smoke completely.
Smokers seeking a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes should try one of SMOKO's E-Cigarette Starter Kits!
*2023 Update - Now you can try the SMOKO E-Cigarette for FREE when you buy a box of E-Cigarette refills! (One per customer)
