Understanding Nicotine and its Importance
If you have decided to make the switch from smoking to vaping, it is important that you choose the right nicotine strength so that your cravings are adequately satisfied and you don’t go back to smoking. To do this, you need to understand the types of nicotine used in vaping e-liquids, what strengths they come in and how much you need to match your smoking habit.
Luckily it's very straightforward and there are nicotine options available that will have you covered whether you’re a heavy smoker who needs a high amount of nicotine or a lighter smoker that still wants a good throat hit. Armed with this knowledge you can make your transition a seamless and successful one.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Nicotine Strength
The first thing to figure out is how much you smoke per day and you need to be honest with yourself here. Think about your consumption during the week vs the weekend or nights out (which may increase a bit). Downplaying this will mean that you won’t be getting the right amount of nicotine when you choose your e-liquid and you’ll be back to smoking before you know it. Often smoking can increase when people consume alcohol, which may mean that you need to up the nicotine level in your e-liquid.
It may be helpful to break down your habit as follows:
| What Type Of Smoker Are You? | Daily Cigarettes |
|---|---|
| Heavy Smoker | 20 Or More |
| Moderate Smoker | 10-20 |
| Light Smoker | 10 Or Less |
Common Nicotine Types & Strengths in E-Liquid
The nicotine in e-liquid is available in three forms. They have unique characteristics that may benefit you depending on the type of experience you are looking for.
Freebase Nicotine - Strong Throat Hit
Available in increments of 3mg, 6mg, 12mg or 18mg per 10ml bottle, freebase nicotine is made more alkaline by stripping away the naturally occurring salts, which raises the pH and results in a much stronger throat hit in low amounts that becomes more intense as you increase in strength - something that may be desirable to seasoned or heavy smokers. The wider range of strengths available also lets you gradually lower your nicotine level, so if you plan on weaning yourself off the habit completely they’re a great option.
Nicotine salts or nic salts - Rapid Absorption
Nic salts are the naturally occurring state of nicotine as extracted from tobacco leaves, it is then bonded with benzoic acid which lowers the pH. This creates a much smoother throat hit, even at the highest nicotine levels and it also increases the absorption rate to match that of tobacco. This makes them the perfect choice when making the switch as they’ll satisfy your cravings rapidly. Nic salts are available in 5mg, 10mg and 20mg strengths per 10ml bottle.
Hybrid Nic Salts
If you fancy the best of both worlds in terms of a strong throat hit as well as rapid nicotine absorption then hybrid nicotine salts may be of interest. As the name implies they are a combination of both freebase and nic salts. Like nic salts, they come in 5mg 10mg and 20mg strengths.
What strength of nicotine do I need in my vape?
The nicotine levels printed on tobacco products do not directly translate into the nicotine strengths available in e-liquid. So a helpful way to work out your nicotine requirement in your e-liquid is to use your daily tobacco consumption instead. Basically the more you smoke, the higher your nicotine level will need to be. It is important that you have an adequate amount, even if you plan to quit nicotine completely, your first aim is to make the break away from smoking and to do that you need the right nicotine level in your e-liquid to satisfy your cravings.
It is worth noting that nic salts are more readily absorbed by your body and so you may want to pace yourself with fewer puffs and note your reaction until you find your sweet spot.
| What Type Of Smoker Are You? | Daily Cigarettes | Nic Salt | Freebase Nicotine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Smoker | 20 Or More | 20mg | 18mg |
| Moderate Smoker | 10-20 | 10-20mg | 6-12mg |
| Light Smoker | 10 Or Less | 5mg | 3-6mg |
Device and Vaping Style
There are two kinds of vaping styles to consider, mouth-to-lung (MTL) and direct-to-lung (DTL). Vaping kits are designed to cater to either one of these or sometimes both.
MTL is catered to those looking to quit tobacco as it accurately emulates the feel of smoking by matching nicotine level, throat hit and draw. The style of inhaling is identical to that of smoking a cigarette and it is recommended that first-time switchers purchase an MTL kit to start with.
DTL or Sub-Ohm vaping is seen as a more recreational vaping method. While still capable of delivering nicotine, it does so at much lower levels. Usually no higher than 3mg, uses a different, deeper style of inhalation that is possibly unfamiliar to smokers, has virtually no throat hit and produces voluminous clouds of vapour. It is certainly worth exploring once you’ve comfortably made the switch using an MTL kit.
How much nicotine should I vape in a day?
You should use your vape whenever you experience nicotine cravings. Take a few puffs and see how you feel, continuing to use your vape until you no longer feel the itch. You can also use the time it would typically take you to smoke a cigarette as a guide - this is usually 2-5 minutes for most people. If you find that you are vaping very frequently or constantly, then you should consider upping your nicotine levels. Conversely, if you feel unwell then consider lowering your nicotine levels or taking fewer puffs at larger intervals. The key point here is to use your past smoking habit as a template and pay attention to how you feel while you vape.
Your vaping frequency can fit your daily routine such as a morning coffee, smoking breaks at work or after meals.
How to Gradually Reduce Nicotine Intake?
One of the major benefits of vaping is that you can gradually lower your nicotine levels over time and wean yourself off nicotine completely. It’s best not to jump the gun, so first make sure that you have completely moved away from smoking tobacco and only use your vape to get your nicotine hit.
Once you are comfortable that you have successfully made the switch from smoking to vaping, you can choose to begin lowering your nicotine content. We recommend you stick to the type of nicotine you were using. Nic salts have a smooth, pleasant throat hit at 20mg, while freebase nicotine at 18mg is extremely harsh by comparison and may come as quite a shock even though it’s slightly less nicotine. Once you get to 5mg of nic salts, you can comfortably reduce to 3mg of freebase as it has a throat hit that is comparable with nic salts.
| Nicotine Salts | Freebase Nicotine |
|---|---|
| 20mg | 18mg |
| 10mg | 12mg |
| 5mg (switch to 3mg freebase) | 6mg |
| 0mg | 3mg |
The final hurdle if you wish to quit nicotine completely will be switching to vaping 0mg e-liquid. E-Liquid containing no nicotine is a great option if you still enjoy the act of vaping or still want to enjoy the flavours, either socially or with your daily routine. Nicotine-free e-liquid has no throat hit and making the switch from 3mg to nothing will still require a bit of discipline on your part.
