Drops per Cigarette

[Gimby]

I posted this as a reply to a question in the 'How many E-Cigs do you own' thread, but as the question of how many drops are equal to a regular cigarette seems to come up a lot I thought I would put it here for those that find it useful. The reply is aimed at someone smoking 6mg juice, but all strengths are covered...

I looked online and this tends to be the general opinion to drops per ml...

"The chemical "rule of thumb" for low viscosity liquids, the most common type we encounter, is 20 drops per ml from a standard eye dropper or pipette. The "rule of thumb" works amazingly well."

Thats based on water. Going with the liquid we use I would guess you are getting 1ml of liquid (6mg of nicotine) in around 15 drops.

Thats 1mg of nicotine per 2.5 drops, or 0.8mg of nicotine per 2 drops.

A typical Marlboro Red has 0.8mg of nicotine (at least here in the UK) meaning 2 drops is roughly the equivalent of a malboro red.

If you were using medium strength liquid (11mg) then just 1 drop would be just below the same level of nicotine as a Marlboro Red.

Other strengths would go as follows...

High (18mg) - 1 drop = 1.5 Marlboro Reds
Extra High (24mg) - 1 drop = 2 Marlboro Reds
Super High (36mg) - 1 drop = 3 Marlboro Reds

Looking at that it's easy to see why people get nicotine overdose so easily on the Super High stuff. 3 Marlboro Reds in 1 drop! Damn!

I generally use medium and simply put 1 drop on the atomiser and smoke until the vapour starts fading, thats basically the equivalent of a regular normal strangth cigarette.

These aren't official numbers, just some working out I just did in my head because you asked the question, but I imagine it's pretty close to the actual levels.

Hope that helps you (and anyone else that was wondering) balance out the drops per cigarette ratio.

Also as a point of interest, going by that numbers that means a 20ml bottle of liquid (around 350 drops) would contain the nicotine equivalent of the following...

Low (6mg) - 175 Cigarettes
Medium (11mg) - 330 Cigarettes
High (18mg) - 525 Cigarettes
Extra High (24mg) - 700 Cigarettes
Super High (36mg) - 1050 Cigarettes

Thats a hell of a lot of cigarettes. lol.

[Kate]

It all depends on how many drops each of us gets in a ml, this seems to vary greatly.

How many drops in a ml? Does size matter?!

20 drops per ml = 0.05ml per drop

[Gimby]

I know, thats why I said they weren't accurate numbers or anything, just me doing some math in my head.

I based it on what I consider to be a standard dropper. The kind you would find in most ordinary supermarket purchased dropper bottles, and the same size I have on my totally wicked liquid bottles here.

If people are using bottles with droppers that are much thinner than standard then obviously this won't apply, but I think as a rough guide it will work to give some people some idea of the amount they are smoking.

Also as it's unlikely any bottles use oversized droppers as they simply wouldn't function correctly, and as I rounded all the numbers up rather than down, if anything people will be getting less nic per drop than I have tried to work out here, rather than more, giving less chance of them ODing on a crazy first time vaping spree

[SpartanWarrior]

Ok question, so when you buy the cartridges how many drops are in that to last 10 real cigs, i just ordered some liquid myself so how many drops should i put in my cartridge?

[dnakr]

I wish there was an exact science to this. Who know what size dropper I use and the droppers vary, per bottle, per supplier.

I always use 2 drops of e-liquid. So if I am reading Gimby's post correctly, I am smoking almost 2 cigs with 11mg and 3 cigs with 18mg, each time I drop, however, I don't feel any difference between the two.

[SpartanWarrior]

So how many cigs would 2 drops be? because lets say you leave your home it would be frustrating to also carry the liquid around with you also.

[Gimby]

The equivalent of standard pre filled cartridges depends on nicotine strength and cartridge size. Obviously a large 36mg cartridge is the equivalent to far more cigarettes than an 11mg cartridge for a super mini.

When it comes to topping up the cartridges I used to add 3 or 4 drops (depending on how dry the cartridge was) before a bubble of liquid formed at the top showing me that it was full, but a larger cartridge would hold more.

[Gimby]

So how many cigs would 2 drops be? because lets say you leave your home it would be frustrating to also carry the liquid around with you also.

I actually carry the bottle with me everywhere I go. Its irritating at first but you get used to it, after all its still smaller than a standard 20 pack of cigs. If you aren't carrying at least some liquid or spare cartridges you are bound to find times when you are caught dry with no way of refilling.

[SpartanWarrior]

I actually carry the bottle with me everywhere I go. Its irritating at first but you get used to it, after all its still smaller than a standard 20 pack of cigs. If you aren't carrying at least some liquid or spare cartridges you are bound to find times when you are caught dry with no way of refilling.

So do you put drops in until you see the liquid up on top of the cartridge? i ordered the low 11mg

[Gimby]

I always use 2 drops of e-liquid. So if I am reading Gimby's post correctly, I am smoking almost 2 cigs with 11mg and 3 cigs with 18mg, each time I drop, however, I don't feel any difference between the two.

Thinking about this that makes sense. I look back at times stood outside pubs smoking. I could happily smoke my cigarette and head inside feeling fine.

But if I was just putting out my cigarette and a friend came outside to smoke I would happily light up another and smoke one with them, then head back inside feeling just the same as if I had smoked only the one cig.

I can only put it down to needing my nicotine fix and getting it. Regardless of if thats from 1 cig or 3 I know I have just had a smoke and the need is gone. I feel the same with my e-cig, I can smoke 11mg or 11mg and don't really feel any difference, I just kill the craving.