One of the reasons many people initially become interested in vaping is to help reduce or eliminate their use of traditional tobacco products. However, it is not necessary to give up the use of nicotine in e-liquids to avoid all the other harmful and carcinogenic compounds found in cigarette, pipe and cigar tobacco.
Selecting the right level of e cigarette nicotine will depend on several factors. Unlike cigarettes or other forms of tobacco, there are many more options when choosing nicotine levels, and this is often a very good way to slowly cut down on nicotine while still enjoying the vaping experienced.
The Basics
When choosing an e-juice flavor, you will typically have to also choose an e cigarette nicotine strength. This will be measured in mg/mL, or milligrams per milliliter since this is a liquid measurement.
Most companies offering e-liquids, also known as e-juice or nicotine juice, will offer a zero level product. This is just the flavorings and the carriers, the vegetable glycerin and the propylene glycol mixture, and any other ingredients such as distilled water.
The nicotine may be pharmaceutical grade in some e-juices, and one company now offers a tobacco free nicotine that is not extracted from the tobacco plant. This provides a completely tasteless way to add nicotine to the e-juice, and one which is very appealing to many vapers.
The Strength
The actual mg/mL level in the e-juice typically includes the 0, 3, 6, and 12 milligrams for with other companies offering other lower levels and the higher levels of 18 and 24 mg/mL and a very few companies offering a 36mg/mL option, but this is relatively difficult to find.
The amount of nicotine in the e-juice, combined with higher levels of propylene glycol, will produce more of a throat hit, or the sensation at the back of the throat when taking a drag from a tobacco cigarette.
Anything under the 12 mg/mL level has a light to a moderate throat hit similar to a light to regular filtered cigarette based on the actual nicotine. The 0 level has no throat hit at all. After about 12 mg/mL there is a noticeable throat hit, which may be more than most people are comfortable with depending on your previous smoking habits.
Keep in mind that most people vape more at a time than they would if they were smoking a traditional cigarette. For this reason, and to avoid the other effects of nicotine, most people will enjoy levels of e cigarette nicotine under that 12mg level and may even find they decrease their levels over time.
