Choosing the right nicotine strength is key if you want to kiss cigarettes goodbye. Cigarettes and vaping both contain nicotine but smoking provides a different experience due to the thousands of other chemicals in cigarettes. What vaping can do is provide nicotine without all of the extra nasty stuff. As you may already know, nicotine is the main reason why smokers wake up in the morning and crave a smoke. This stresses the importance of choosing the right nicotine strength if you want to successfully stay away from smoking cigarettes.

You want to choose a nicotine level that is a happy fit for you. Too much nicotine and you won’t enjoy the vaping experience and having too little can result in going back to smoking.

There are 3 main factors to take in consideration before choosing the right nicotine level:

1. Understanding the differences between smoking and vaping
2. Different vaping devices effect nicotine strength
3. Smoking habits can determine what nicotine strength to choose

Differences in nicotine absorption: Vaping vs Smoking

Getting the right nicotine strength is tricky because vaping and smoking absorb nicotine differently. Many smokers will choose a nicotine strength based on how much nicotine is in a cigarette. Unfortunately, it’s not the right way to go about it since you don’t absorb the same amount of nicotine.   

On average, the amount of nicotine found in one cigarette is around 10-14 mg and you only absorb about 1-1.5 mg of nicotine. Furthermore, vaping doesn’t deliver the same amount of nicotine in the bloodstream as cigarettes.

In a study done by Dr Farsalinos, researchers have found that even after an hour, vaping doesn’t deliver the same amount of nicotine in the bloodstream as one cigarette.

Out of the 4000 plus chemicals in cigarettes, some of the chemicals exist to solely boost the effects of nicotine in smoking. Cigarettes may seem archaic but they are highly engineered to deliver nicotine as efficiently as possible.

With e-juices only containing 4 main ingredients (PG, VG, Flavoring, and Nicotine), this is one of the many reasons why it is hard to compare cigarettes with vaping. It also explains why other nicotine replacement treatments have shown low success rates.

On a positive note, the study above showed that newer generation devices increased the nicotine levels in the bloodstreams by 35-72%. After 35 minutes, the nicotine levels were the same as smoking a cigarette in the first 5 minutes. What this shows is that smoking a cigarette immediately gives you your nicotine satisfaction whereas vaping can take a little longer for the nicotine cravings to subside. This leads to the next factor you want to consider before choosing a nicotine strength that is right for you.

The Device You Choose Matters

With the innovations in vaping, vaping devices have become more efficient in delivering nicotine and flavor.

The most common devices you see today are called sub-ohm devices. Sub-ohm devices use high wattage batteries to increase vapor production and it allows for more direct to lung vapor action. What this means is that you will get more nicotine compared to lower wattage devices which are mouth to lung devices.

If you use a high wattage sub-ohm device, you can use lower nicotine levels due to the amount of vapor it will produce. Many sub-ohm vapers prefer to use 3 mg or 6 mg e-juice.

However, going above 12 mg in a sub-ohm device is not recommended. Keep in mind, the higher you climb up the nicotine ladder, the e-juice will have a harsher throat hit. Vapers in the community call this harshness induced by higher nicotine levels as nicotine bite.

As we stated above, nicotine levels in your bloodstream take a while to meet the same amount of nicotine as smoking a cigarette. Chain-vaping at 12 mg in a sub-ohm device may lead to an accumulation of nicotine and it may cause negative symptoms such as dehydration, headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. It’s a common occurrence among vapers when the flavor in your ejuice is too damn good.

Smoking Habits and Vaping Usage

The final factor you want to consider before choosing a nicotine strength is your smoking habits. Listed below is a general guideline that the vaping community follows:

Smokers who want to quit nicotine completely (Not for first time vapers switching from cigarettes): 0 mg

Light smoker (Less than half a pack): 3 mg

Moderate Smoker (Half a pack): 6 mg

Heavy Smoker (Full pack): 12 mg

Remember, these are broad guidelines and choosing the right nicotine strength will vary from person to person. Heavy smokers may be satisfied with 6 mg since some may prefer a lighter throat hit to enjoy the flavor more than getting nicotine. 

Another thing to take into consideration depends on the type of cigarettes you smoked. Not all cigarettes are created equal and some may have more nicotine than others. For example, if you smoke half a pack of full flavor cigarettes, 12 mg may be a better fit than 6 mg.

It will also depend on your vaping usage. For those who vape sparingly, they may want to opt for a 12 mg nicotine strength and consume less vape juice. It may take some time to figure out what works best for you so don’t give up and experiment!

Alternative Option: Nicotine Salts

If you have read other articles about nicotine strength, you may have noticed that some mention 18 mg and 24 mg nicotine levels. Unfortunately, many e-juice manufacturers have discontinued producing those nicotine strengths. An alternative option that may be a better fit for those who are looking for something stronger, nicotine salts will be a good fit for you.

Nicotine salt is a specific formulation of nicotine used in low wattage devices. Nicotine salts offer high nicotine strength such as 35 to 50 mg nicotine strengths to provide smokers a more realistic feel of smoking a cigarette. Salt based nicotine are made to have a smoother throat hit to make vaping 50 mg nicotine palatable. Because nicotine salts are offered in high nicotine strengths, nic salts are designed for low wattage devices.

In the study shared above, the researchers recommend 50 mg nicotine levels for heavy smokers who have recently transitioned into vaping. Luckily, nicotine salt fits the bill and the user-friendly devices used for nic salts are perfect for smokers who are new to vaping. With the rising popularity of nicotine salts, first-time vapers should strongly consider vaping nicotine salts for a smoother transition to vaping.

If you’re curious and want to learn more about vaping nicotine salts, check out these blog articles:

• Nicotine Salt vs Freebase? Why Nicotine Salt is the new craze
• Beginner’s guide to vaping nicotine salt
• Vape Pods: How to choose the right device for nicotine salts

Final Decision: Use this chart here to find a nicotine strength that suits you best!

Let us know in the comment section if you have questions or would like to share your experiences with us! Don’t forget to check out our mouthwatering premium e-juice collection! Thanks and happy vaping y’all!