Beginner’s Guide to Selecting the Most Appropriate Nicotine Levels for E-Cigarettes

The popularity of e-cigarettes has grown incredibly quickly since they were first brought to the market in 2003. They can be smoked legally in public areas in most countries of the world, and they deliver nicotine to smokers without the unwanted toxins and carcinogens of the combustion process. However, too many e-cigarette newbies are taking the plunge with nicotine levels that are inappropriate for their needs.

It can be confusing when someone considering the use of e-cigarettes is bombarded with a bewildering array of choices, and in many cases, people will simply opt for the e-liquids with the highest nicotine levels. However, getting the most out of e-cigarettes involves selecting a nicotine strength that best matches your current smoking habits. For instance, there is little to be gained by selecting a liquid with a very low nicotine level if you currently go through three packets of real cigarettes a day. The key to a success successful transition to e-cigarettes is choosing a strength that you feel most comfortable with.

Nicotine strengths explained

The strength of nicotine in e-liquid is often described in milligrams. For example, a nicotine level described as 12mg will have 12 milligrams of nicotine for every milliliter of e-liquid. However, some manufacturers will communicate this information as a percentage, which can confuse users. The equivalent of a 12mg e-cigarette would be 1.2% – both strengths are exactly the same, they are simply represented in different ways.

Finding an e-liquid that is equivalent to a particular type of cigarette

A common source of confusion amongst newcomers to the e-cigarette is how to equate an e-liquid strength to that of a particular brand of cigarette. The best way to work this out is by calculating the amount of nicotine being inhaled from the e-liquid.

If you were to buy a 10ml bottle of 24mg nicotine e-liquid, that would provide you with a total of 240mg of nicotine. Working with the assumption that there are 20 drops of e-liquid per millilitre, that will provide you with around 1.2mg of nicotine for every drop of e-liquid you use in your e-cartridge. So, if you use three drops every time you load your e-cigarette, you will be giving yourself a 3.6mg dosage – roughly the equivalent of an ultra-light cigarette.

Of course, deciding on the dosage that best kerbs your cravings will be a matter of trial and error, as factors such as the vaporising quantity, the frequency of smoking and the physical act of inhalation will all contribute to the overall effect. It is also worth noting that the vapour from the e-cigarette will never absorb all of the nicotine contained within the e-liquid, so this should be factored into your dosing decisions.

A rough guide to nicotine levels in e-liquids

Liquid strengths are measured as the number of milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid.

0mg/mL. An e-liquid mixture stating this will contain absolutely no nicotine whatsoever – ideal for people who don’t crave nicotine but still have a fixation with the physical nature of the habit.

6mg/ML. This is the weakest e-liquid currently available, and it will generally be used by people with very light smoking habits or those used to light cigarettes.

12mg/mL. This is still a relatively weak e-liquid solution, and it could be perfect if you are used to smoking light cigarettes.

]18mg/mL. This strength of e-liquid will suit your needs if you are used to standard-strength cigarettes; it is generally recommended for people who have a habit involving 20 cigarettes or less per day.

24mg/mL. This level of nicotine is only recommended for people who were previously very heavy smokers, or for those who smoke more than a packet a day. This dosage will deliver an effect similar to that experienced when smoking a real cigarette, and it is often a good starting point for people making the switch from real cigarettes.

36mg/mL. This is usually the highest concentration of nicotine available in e-liquids. It is only recommended for heavy smokers who are transitioning from a habit of two packets a day or more. It is also used by people who have become used to smoking particularly strong cigarettes.

Finding the right strength for your transition to e-cigarettes

You may be tempted to start with a high dosage of nicotine to lessen the effects of switching to e-cigarettes, but you should choose your early doses with care. If your throat is burning during inhalation, you are becoming dizzy or you’re developing headaches after smoking e-cigarettes, you could be inhaling too high a dose. Drop down to an e-liquid with lower nicotine levels or reduce the number of drops you put into your e-cartridge.

There is little doubt that smoking e-cigarettes is far less harmful than smoking the real thing, but making the transition should still be done with care. Start with unnecessarily high doses, and you could experience unwanted side-effects; start with inappropriately low doses, and you risk turning back to real cigarettes in order to satisfy your cravings.

Consumer Reports