What strength e-liquid do you need?

If you're new to the world of vaping, you may be wondering what strength e-liquid you need to stop you from switching back to traditional cigarettes. Well, there is no standard answer to this question as there are many variables to consider such as the strength of the cigarettes you're used to smoking, the number of cigarettes you smoke each day, and the way you inhale i.e. mouth to lung or direct lung.

To help you find your perfect nicotine level, you're best to use the information below as a rough guide and then experiment with different strengths to see which suits you the best.

What is nicotine?

Nicotine is a chemical compound found in tobacco plants. The main component in cigarettes and cigars, tobacco is burned to release the nicotine which is absorbed into the bloodstream by inhaling the smoke.

Nicotine is also available in liquid form, having been extracted from the tobacco plant. Liquid nicotine is one of the 3 primary ingredients in e-liquid.

Nicotine is a stimulant and a highly-addictive substance. Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal include cravings, anxiety, restlessness, headaches, and poor concentration.

A rough guide

Many smokers use the following guide to determine the amount of nicotine they begin with when vaping for the first time.

3mg - Best suited to light smokers that smoke less than half a pack a day.
6mg - Ideal for moderate smokers that smoke around half a pack a day.
12mg - Suitable for heavy smokers that smoke around a pack a day.
18mg - Currently almost the highest level of nicotine available in the UK, recommended for very heavy smokers that smoke more than one pack per day.

Premixed or mix your own

If you don't find any of the standard nicotine levels suitable for your requirements, another option is to choose short fill e-liquids. Short fill e-liquids are bottles of flavoured propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine that are supplied in 0mg with space in the bottle to add your own nicotine shot. Nic shots are available in 10ml bottles and contain up to 18mg of nicotine, so you can mix to your own strength, adding in more nicotine or diluting with PG or VG shots.   

Is nicotine best or should I try nic salts?

Many new vapers prefer to use nic salts instead of regular (freebase) nicotine as it has several benefits when switching from traditional cigarettes including faster nicotine absorption, less harshness on the throat, and a cleaner flavour. Also, due to the faster nicotine absorption, you don't need to use as much e-liquid, so it's better value for money.

Nic salts are better suited to low powered devices such as vape pens or pod systems which are a popular choice with new vapers.

Nic salts are better suited to mouth to lung (MTL) devices, making them a better choice for new vapers as this is the way that most people smoke traditional cigarettes.