Vaping is seen by many as a great way to stop smoking cigarettes – in fact, research has found that vaping (alongside expert support) makes people twice as likely to successfully quit smoking as using other nicotine replacement therapies. This may be because quitting smoking isn’t just about getting nicotine cravings under control; it can also be about finding ways to change the habit. And vaping can be a great way to replace smoking habits while still getting a nicotine hit.
When starting out, anyone using vaping to quit smoking will likely be a little confused about nicotine levels in e-liquid. You may be wondering, ‘how much nicotine does vaping deliver in comparison to cigarettes, what nicotine level should I vape?’
Thankfully, the experts here at Legion of Vapers can help. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about vaping nicotine levels.
The Lowdown On Nicotine
Nicotine is the natural chemical compound found in the tobacco plant. It is a highly addictive stimulant that is known to cause feelings of relaxation and pleasure.
Nicotine is most commonly consumed through smoking tobacco in cigarettes, pipes, or cigars.
Nicotine can also be ingested by vaping. This is where flavoured e-liquids are heated by a vaping device, allowing the user to breathe in vapour with different nicotine levels.
The Two Types Of Nicotine In E-liquid
There are two main types of nicotine found in e-liquids: freebase nicotine and nic salts. These provide nicotine hits differently. To help you choose between freebase nicotine vs nic salts, take a look below for more info or visit our blog for more details.
Freebase Nicotine
Freebase nicotine is nicotine from the tobacco plant which is chemically processed to remove impurities. This process is called “freebasing”. Ammonia is then added to the pure nicotine to facilitate absorption into the body.
Without this process, the pure nicotine produced would be an alkaline compound that is less soluble and difficult to vaporise.
Freebase nicotine is the most commonly used form of nicotine in e-liquids. It produces a relatively harsh throat hit the higher the concentration. This is something that some vapers crave as it can replicate the feeling of smoking a cigarette more accurately.
Nicotine Salt
Nicotine salt (nic salts) is a nicotine type that is used in some e-liquids. It is an alternative to traditional “freebase” nicotine as it is not as harsh to inhale with higher nicotine levels.
Nicotine salt is created by bonding nicotine extract and benzoic acid to make it more bioavailable (able to be absorbed easily by your body). Nicotine salts can be vaporised at lower temperatures than freebase nicotine, which means they are often used in lower powered vape kits and disposables.
The experience of vaping nic salts differs from traditional freebase nicotine because the addition of benzoic acid allows you to ingest more nicotine without creating a harsh throat hit.
Another benefit of nic salts is that they are more easily absorbed into the bloodstream. This results in a quicker nicotine hit.
Because higher concentrations can be absorbed more quickly into the body, it is important that they are vaped in moderation. This can help to reduce how quickly vapers burn through their e-liquid.
To find out more about nic salts, explore our What are Nic Salts? blog for a full and detailed description.
What Are The Different Nicotine Strengths Available?
The nicotine strength of e-liquids refers to the nicotine level present in that specific e-liquid.
There is a great nicotine strength range available for vapers to choose from. This can be useful for people that are trying to quit smoking. It allows them to adjust nicotine levels depending on their own cravings and preferences.
The following guide should help you determine how much nicotine is too much nicotine for your vaping level. It shows the mg/ml level equivalents to smoking. Nicotine mg/ml refers to the nicotine concentration in the e-liquid. The measurement of mg/ml refers to the milligrams of nicotine per millilitre of e-liquid.
Higher concentrations are better suited to people trying to quit smoking. This nicotine strength can be gradually reduced by people trying to lower their nicotine dependence.
The most common nicotine strengths available in e-liquids include:
0mg
0mg e-liquid contains no nicotine at all. This can be an excellent option for vapers that have no nicotine cravings but enjoy the sensation and flavours of vaping. Former smokers looking to quit nicotine entirely might aspire to reduce their nicotine usage until reaching this level.
Shortfill e-liquids are 0mg options. They typically provide either 50ml or 100 ml of nicotine-free e-liquid in bottles that can hold 60ml or 120ml respectively. The extra space available in shortfill bottles allows the user to add nicotine shots to the e-liquid, allowing them to control the nicotine strength. However, there’s no need to add nicotine and these 0mg nicotine e-liquids can be vaped as they are to enjoy the flavour and sensation without any of the stimulant.
3mg
A 3mg nicotine-strength e-liquid is a low level. This is aimed at people that are weaning themselves off nicotine or want to enjoy mild nicotine hits. If you’re used to smoking a lot of cigarettes, this low-level strength may be too low for you. Vapers who notice themselves needing to take lots of puffs (chain-vaping) may find it easier instead to slightly raise the nicotine content to 6mg or 10mg.
6mg
E-liquids with a nicotine content of 6mg are an excellent option for people who are used to smoking smaller numbers of cigarettes each day and getting through a pack every few days.
10mg
A 10mg nicotine content is similar to that of an average cigarette. This is a good option for the average smoker.
18 and 20mg
E-liquid nicotine levels of 18mg and 20mg are typically aimed at the heavy smoker. 20mg/ml is the highest nicotine strength permitted to be sold in the UK under TPD regulations and is suitable for those smokers who are used to smoking more than a pack or two a day.
Disposable vapes are often available with high nicotine levels. This can offer a great level of convenience and the desired nicotine intake for ex-smokers.
What Nicotine Strength Is Right For Me?
Choosing the right nicotine strength is typically a personal choice that is unique to your own preferences.
Your preferred vaping style and smoking history might have a bearing on the best nicotine strength for you.
Heavy smokers will typically require a higher nicotine strength in their e-liquid. Over time, this can be reduced as the user manages their nicotine cravings.
Your vaping style will also have an impact on the best nicotine strengths for your vape juice.
Mouth-to-lung (MTL) and direct-to-lung (DTL) vaping techniques suit different mg/ml vape juice levels.
MTL vaping is better suited to higher nicotine levels as high resistance coils and low power outputs are used. This is best suited to people that are giving up smoking as the vape nicotine levels and sensation best replicate that of smoking.
Lower nicotine levels are best suited for DTL vaping. DTL vaping will typically use a sub-ohm device. Sub-ohm vaping is known for producing large clouds and turning large quantities of e-liquid into vapour at once. This means that you should always use a zero nicotine or low nicotine vape juice for sub-ohm vaping in order to avoid consuming too much nicotine and feeling dizzy.
FAQs
What nicotine level is best for DTL vaping?
A nicotine level of 0mg to 6mg is typically best for DTL vaping. It is not recommended to exceed 12mg.
What nicotine level is best for MTL vaping?
Nicotine levels of 6mg to 12mg are best suited to MTL vaping. MTL vaping does allow for higher nicotine levels making it better suited to ex-smokers with strong nicotine cravings.
Do VG/PG ratios affect nicotine strength?
While the VG/PG ratio of an e-liquid does not directly impact the nicotine strength, it can have a bearing on the vaping style and therefore how much e-liquid is used.
A high VG ratio is better suited to DTL vaping which gets through more vape juice at a higher speed. Therefore, vapers can end up accidentally consuming more nicotine through DTL vaping without realising.
Vape liquids with more PG such as 50/50 e-liquids are more suited to MTL vaping which tends to use less e-liquid and therefore delivers less nicotine in each puff. This means that MTL vapers can use higher strength juices.
In conclusion
Overall, choosing the correct nicotine strength will directly affect your vaping experience. It’s important to get it right because too much nicotine can leave you feeling unwell, while too little can leave you with uncomfortable cravings.
Vaping can be useful for those trying to give up smoking. It can also be a lot of fun for cloud chasers and vapers that want to experience all the weird and wonderful flavours.
No matter your reason for vaping, Legion of Vapers is here to help. We provide a wide range of vaping devices, e-liquids, and other vaping necessities.
Our extensive collection of products is perfect for beginners and experts.
We also provide expert advice and guidance. If you have any other questions about nicotine strengths or have any other vaping queries, please get in touch today!
