Alcohol Content.

[MBblue]

I'm a recovering alcoholic. I have been made aware that many, if not all, eliquids contain ethyl alcohol. I know that there are a few that don't, but as a rule most eliquids don't have an ingrediants list. All the ones with a good throat hit seem to have alcohol in them and I really need the best throat hit possible to keep me off of analogs. I guess my question is, in general how much ethyl alcohol is used in e-liquid? Is it enough that I should be concerned about it? And what are the effects if any of vaporizing alcohol vs. drinking it? I know it's such a small amount that I am vaporizing at a time and it seems trivial but alcoholism is a life and death deal for me. Can anybody help put this drunks mind at ease? I love my ecig but this issue is always on my mind. Help please!

[scott58]

Not sure if all or any have alcohol, but it would be a small percentage. Your alternative is make your own and know exactly what's in it.

[soylent]

I can speak from DIY juicing. If you use alcohol to dilute a thick juice, at the most extreme you may get to 20% with a VG based juice.

At 20% in a cart that holds 15 drops, that's 3 drops of alcohol per refill. Another way to look at it is if you vape 30ml a week at 20% ratio of alcohol it would take 5 weeks to vape a 1 ounce shot.

Unless your mind is just looking for a reason to relapse, I don't think you have a problem.

[Raenon]

Here is another thread you might be interested in, several people did some math and comparisons for how much alcohol you might find in e-liquid. In fact, scott58 replied to that one too lol

Using Alcohol in juice mixes?

[Remie]

I'm a recovering alcoholic. I have been made aware that many, if not all, eliquids contain ethyl alcohol. I know that there are a few that don't, but as a rule most eliquids don't have an ingrediants list. All the ones with a good throat hit seem to have alcohol in them and I really need the best throat hit possible to keep me off of analogs. I guess my question is, in general how much ethyl alcohol is used in e-liquid? Is it enough that I should be concerned about it? And what are the effects if any of vaporizing alcohol vs. drinking it? I know it's such a small amount that I am vaporizing at a time and it seems trivial but alcoholism is a life and death deal for me. Can anybody help put this drunks mind at ease? I love my ecig but this issue is always on my mind. Help please!

Hi!

I totally understand your conerns, and congrats on your continued sobriety!

Kudos to you for asking questions and being aware!!

There are only a few points that I'd consider.

The e-liquid is highly toxic to ingest. Poisonous, period.

Since alcohol evaporates at 172°F (78°C), I believe it's safe to assume that when the e-liquid is "cooked" by the atomizer any alcohol is evaporated. Given that, it makes sense to assume the resulting vapor that we inhale is devoid of any meaningful alcohol.

Someone may correct me if I'm wrong here, but logic and common sense tells me that vaping does not and will not compromise your sobriety.

I'm also sending you a PM with a few suggestions

Good Luck!

Remie

[mpetva]

Hi!

I totally understand your conerns, and congrats on your continued sobriety!

Kudos to you for asking questions and being aware!!

There are only a few points that I'd consider.

The e-liquid is highly toxic to ingest. Poisonous, period.

Since alcohol evaporates at 172°F (78°C), I believe it's safe to assume that when the e-liquid is "cooked" by the atomizer any alcohol is evaporated. Given that, it makes sense to assume the resulting vapor that we inhale is devoid of any meaningful alcohol.

Someone may correct me if I'm wrong here, but logic and common sense tells me that vaping does not and will not compromise your sobriety.

I'm also sending you a PM with a few suggestions

Good Luck!

Remie

The e-liquid is highly toxic to ingest. Poisonous, period.
WTH?????? Where did that come from? This statement is based on what facts????

[kalekona]

I too think any alcohol would burn off before it entered your system.

[5cardstud]

The e-liquid is highly toxic to ingest. Poisonous, period.
WTH?????? Where did that come from? This statement is based on what facts????

Well for one thing nicotine itself is used as an insectocide. Two I read somewhere the % of nicotine lethal to adults and children. But I believe you would have to ingest quite a bit to be lethal. Also he didn't say it was lethal just toxic and many of the products we use daily have a certain toxicity but aren't lethal.

[soylent]

The e-liquid would be considered toxic/poisonous if you were to drink it, but that's not what anyone is saying... no reason to bring it up. Water becomes poisonous if you drink enough too.

And even though alcohol evaporates at XXX degrees... you are sucking this into your mouth/lungs, so you will ingest/absorb it as it turns into a gas. What we're saying is that the amount is going to be minimal.

[Kurt]

I am very glad someone brought this issue up. Some juices premade do have ethanol in them. Some do not. The vendors will tell you.

I do not drink. I am not a recovering alcoholic, rather alcohol effects me very strongly. My juices are all DIY VG juices, and I would add 10% vodka to thin the thick juices. VG juices need to be thinned generally for atty health and good wicking. Vodka works great. Except, I was noticing a distinct lack of mental and physical energy, like I was a bit drugged, and given that I do chemical physics and martial arts, this was a problem. I only just realized that this period of lethargy began when I started thinning juices with vodka.

Fact: YOU ARE INHALING EVERYTHING IN JUICES, INCLUDING ETHANOL. Nothing is "burned off" or "cooked", it is just vaporized, not decomposed.

Fact: inhaled ethanol requires very little to have an effect. Ever use a brandy pipe? Its a glass pipe that you put brandy or liquor in the bowl and inhale the vapors. 0.5 mL of brandy will strongly effect you...in fact you might not even finish it before you go into a stupor. If you use PGA to thin at 10% juice, this would correspond to maybe 2.5 mL of juice...the normal daily amount.

Fact: now that I eliminated vodka, and now use 20% distilled water to thin juices, those symptoms of physical and mental lethargy are gone, as in immediately and completely. I feel normal again.

MBblue, I think your concern is valid and wise. I would avoid juices with ethanol in them. Admittedly this is a new concept here, and true some may not notice an effect, but for a non-drinker used to being in top shape physically and mentally, I can say it definitely affected me. You would absolutely be ingesting ethanol, and in a way that bypasses the normal initial metabolism pathways, and goes right into the blood and brain.

Some may argue that it is ok, no problem. I would argue that some may drink enough that the difference comparatively may not be obvious. As a chemist who has experience with vaporized alcohol, and a knowledge of the physical states of e-juice components, and who is sober and very used to mentally and physically pushing myself to the limit, yes, it is a definite point of concern.

Also, speaking as someone who has had several family members almost die from alcoholism, but who are recovered now and thriving, I would be profoundly sad if some good person here unknowingly fell off the wagon and started to relive those dark days and not even know why. Be on the safe side, and make your own juices without ethanol. If you want to vape VG juices, distilled water works fine.

Thanks so much for bringing this very important issue up.