Choosing the right nicotine strength for you is a crucial part of your vaping journey. In this post we will be helping you identify what strength e-liquid will best suit your needs.
Why is nicotine strength important?
Finding the right nicotine strength is a really important part of making the switch from smoking to vaping. E-cigarettes are designed to be an alternative nicotine source for use as a stop smoking aid, to help keep nicotine cravings at bay and give you the best chance at a successful stop smoking attempt.
Nicotine is the addictive substance in cigarettes and is responsible for the unpleasant withdrawal that many people experience when they make a stop smoking attempt. Using an e-cigarette can help manage nicotine cravings, but if you choose a nicotine strength that is too low it may not fully satisfy your nicotine cravings, and this can make it harder to stay away from cigarettes.
On the other hand, choosing a nicotine strength that is too high can cause headaches and nausea, as you are introducing more nicotine into your system than your body is used to.
How to choose the right strength for you
E-liquids are available in a range of different strengths that allow you to choose the specific one that best replaces your previous nicotine intake. What nicotine strength you choose depends largely on your previous smoking habits. As a general rule we suggest the following.
- Heavy smoker - 20+ cigarettes a day: 18mg – 20mg
- Moderate smoker – 10 - 20 cigarettes a day: 10mg – 12mg
- Light smoker – 5 - 10 cigarettes a day: 6mg
- Casual smoker – Smokes few cigarettes or not every day: 0mg – 3mg
There may be some trial and error, if you are using an e-liquid and feel that the nicotine strength is too high or low try the next strength to see if it is more suitable.
You should also consider the type of nicotine in your e-liquid. Freebase nicotine is known for the ‘throat hit’ it offers, which to some makes it feel more like smoking, but others may find too harsh. If you feel the nicotine strength is correct but find the inhale is not comfortable try nic salt e-liquids, as they have a much smoother inhale even at high nicotine strengths.
Once you have been vaping for some time you may want to decrease your nicotine intake, by slowly dropping down to a lower strength over time, eventually getting to a nicotine free e-liquid. This is a personal preference, and you should only drop your nicotine strength if you feel you are ready. You can read more about this in our blog post ‘How to decrease your nicotine strength’.
If you are unsure about what e-liquid strength you should use pop in to your local Evapo store and speak to a member of our team or reach out to our customer service team for advice and support. You can shop our full range of e-liquids in store or online.
