Is bigger vapor the road to kicking nicotine?
I noticed that a lot of juices have recently appeared as all-VG with nic levels that 4 years ago were unthinkable, like 6, 3, 2 mg/ml. And a lot of zero nics. The vendors I asked confirmed that it was a new trend, and it seemed related to the higher wattage mods and rebuildables.
After tapering nicotine for the last 4 years ...
Started on the big-nic 48 mg/ml nicotine juice, 80% propylene glycol. I discovered that PG is sedating, which was GREAT at first when kicking the Marlboros, and as I descended to 36 and 24 mg/ml. I had started making my own juice with less PG, that tasted better, with the nicotine down to 18mg/ml. After a year, about 3 years ago, as I found the PG was REALLY drying my eyes and mouth, slowing my intestines, I switched to just glycerin, all-VG. That was way better, a huge taste'n huge vapor treat, and I continued shaving the nicotine. Not that it was THAT important, but why not?
After reaching 8 mg/ml I'd regularly try to drop the nic completely but found the taste was too flat, no bite, which added to the irritation and feeling nic-hungry. So I continued working down to 4 and even 2 mg/ml sometimes. The trouble was still a lack of that something in the vapor, too flat. I had tried many tricks to sharpen the flavor, including spice extracts - black pepper was one of the best. A few drops of 151 Rum too. PG itself had some value, some "throat hit", but by then I was spoiled by my all-VG creations, and adding PG was a lot like dripping industrial waste on a pecan pie to perk it up.
BTW - A lot of the anti-smoking "experts" don't have a clue as to its gesture and behavioral component. I had quit smoking cigarettes the day I got a functioning e-cig over 4 years ago. I went from 2 packs of Marlboro Reds to none in 4 hours flat, and haven't smoked any tobacco since. Nicotine patches, chantix, gums etc - none of those had worked. Because none of them supplied the immense comfort of holding a magic wand and blowing "smoke" - and our personal vaporizers do. No idea why, but it's essential. It reminds me of the blue-gray rescue blanket I carried around as a kid. Anyway, this story is about kicking nic ...
So there I was at 4 mg/ml, but with the AMOUNT of liquid I like to chain-vape, that was still a goodly woodly bit o' nic. I hate to do the arithmetic. My feet were always cold. My hands too. And my Blood Pressure was higher than ideal, even with meds. Pretty mild stuff, really, compared to inhaling all the products of combustion, we all know nicotine ain't the devil they like to paint it as. But still ...
So I was reading and watching YouTubies about the new rebuildables, and unhappy with having to replace Kangertech coil-heads every day or two if I wanted really good flavor. It was cheaper than cigs, but not cheaper enough. My Provari 1.0 sucked. The best rig I had was a Vapage VMod-XL with a $25 HH-357 hand-made 510 atomizer that lasted from a week to 6 months, like a lottery. With careful alcohol rinses and when I chanced on a good atty, this rig was a solid vape. But relying on uncertain atomizers or Kangertech heads for Protanks was a pain.
So after studying the subject I tossed something like $100 to e-bay, to take the next evolutionary lunge. I ordered
Best vape money spent in ages. All three "systems" were and are excellent. It didn't take long for
Well, I'm preaching to the choir here, but y'all probably know it was a revelation. Every one of the rebuildables that arrived was GREAT. The biggest surprise of all was that nicotine was no longer necessary at all. At all. I made my next bottles of juice at 0 nic right off the bat. Not sure why. A big part of it was the intense taste at higher wattage/vapor. Something new happened then. After a couple of weeks vaping all-VG 0 mg/ml nic juice at 15-20 watts, I was deconditioned. To check, I picked up my old VMod with its little HH-357 atomizer, filled it with 8 ml of 0 nic juice, and it was, and tasted, great. The nic chain had fallen off.
My feet are no longer cold, my hands are warm. That's nice. My blood pressure is way more even, no more evening spikes. I'm about to try backing off on the hypertension meds, we'll see, it's not a moral issue, and if I felt like it, I'd vape some nic juice without guilt. But I don't, and I feel a little better all around without it.
I don't know if this would have been possible in my first year of vaping. But I'm here to tell you that if you're vaping and dropping nicotine has crossed your mind, stepping up to the high power rebuildables with 0 nic juice from the outset might be a good way to do it. Worth trying. A 30 watt adjustable wattage box mod is recommended, they're down to around a dollar a watt. Every time, in the first few days, that you think of pouring in your old juice with nicotine, just turn up the wattage instead, watch the room vanish in walls o' vapor, and say "aaaaah".
Anybody else saying "aaaaah"?
I noticed that a lot of juices have recently appeared as all-VG with nic levels that 4 years ago were unthinkable, like 6, 3, 2 mg/ml. And a lot of zero nics. The vendors I asked confirmed that it was a new trend, and it seemed related to the higher wattage mods and rebuildables.
After tapering nicotine for the last 4 years ...
Started on the big-nic 48 mg/ml nicotine juice, 80% propylene glycol. I discovered that PG is sedating, which was GREAT at first when kicking the Marlboros, and as I descended to 36 and 24 mg/ml. I had started making my own juice with less PG, that tasted better, with the nicotine down to 18mg/ml. After a year, about 3 years ago, as I found the PG was REALLY drying my eyes and mouth, slowing my intestines, I switched to just glycerin, all-VG. That was way better, a huge taste'n huge vapor treat, and I continued shaving the nicotine. Not that it was THAT important, but why not?
After reaching 8 mg/ml I'd regularly try to drop the nic completely but found the taste was too flat, no bite, which added to the irritation and feeling nic-hungry. So I continued working down to 4 and even 2 mg/ml sometimes. The trouble was still a lack of that something in the vapor, too flat. I had tried many tricks to sharpen the flavor, including spice extracts - black pepper was one of the best. A few drops of 151 Rum too. PG itself had some value, some "throat hit", but by then I was spoiled by my all-VG creations, and adding PG was a lot like dripping industrial waste on a pecan pie to perk it up.
BTW - A lot of the anti-smoking "experts" don't have a clue as to its gesture and behavioral component. I had quit smoking cigarettes the day I got a functioning e-cig over 4 years ago. I went from 2 packs of Marlboro Reds to none in 4 hours flat, and haven't smoked any tobacco since. Nicotine patches, chantix, gums etc - none of those had worked. Because none of them supplied the immense comfort of holding a magic wand and blowing "smoke" - and our personal vaporizers do. No idea why, but it's essential. It reminds me of the blue-gray rescue blanket I carried around as a kid. Anyway, this story is about kicking nic ...
So there I was at 4 mg/ml, but with the AMOUNT of liquid I like to chain-vape, that was still a goodly woodly bit o' nic. I hate to do the arithmetic. My feet were always cold. My hands too. And my Blood Pressure was higher than ideal, even with meds. Pretty mild stuff, really, compared to inhaling all the products of combustion, we all know nicotine ain't the devil they like to paint it as. But still ...
So I was reading and watching YouTubies about the new rebuildables, and unhappy with having to replace Kangertech coil-heads every day or two if I wanted really good flavor. It was cheaper than cigs, but not cheaper enough. My Provari 1.0 sucked. The best rig I had was a Vapage VMod-XL with a $25 HH-357 hand-made 510 atomizer that lasted from a week to 6 months, like a lottery. With careful alcohol rinses and when I chanced on a good atty, this rig was a solid vape. But relying on uncertain atomizers or Kangertech heads for Protanks was a pain.
So after studying the subject I tossed something like $100 to e-bay, to take the next evolutionary lunge. I ordered
- some 28 gauge Kanthal A1 wire, Japanese cotton pads, stainless steel 400 mesh
- a couple of 18650 battery tubes, a.k.a. mechanical "mods",
- a plain dripper RDA,
- a Kragen Genesis RTA,
- a Big Dripper pump dripper RDA, like a pump shotgun, and
- a Tobeco Kayfun V4 RTA (my favorite)
Best vape money spent in ages. All three "systems" were and are excellent. It didn't take long for
- a Defender 25 watt Box Mod
Well, I'm preaching to the choir here, but y'all probably know it was a revelation. Every one of the rebuildables that arrived was GREAT. The biggest surprise of all was that nicotine was no longer necessary at all. At all. I made my next bottles of juice at 0 nic right off the bat. Not sure why. A big part of it was the intense taste at higher wattage/vapor. Something new happened then. After a couple of weeks vaping all-VG 0 mg/ml nic juice at 15-20 watts, I was deconditioned. To check, I picked up my old VMod with its little HH-357 atomizer, filled it with 8 ml of 0 nic juice, and it was, and tasted, great. The nic chain had fallen off.
My feet are no longer cold, my hands are warm. That's nice. My blood pressure is way more even, no more evening spikes. I'm about to try backing off on the hypertension meds, we'll see, it's not a moral issue, and if I felt like it, I'd vape some nic juice without guilt. But I don't, and I feel a little better all around without it.
I don't know if this would have been possible in my first year of vaping. But I'm here to tell you that if you're vaping and dropping nicotine has crossed your mind, stepping up to the high power rebuildables with 0 nic juice from the outset might be a good way to do it. Worth trying. A 30 watt adjustable wattage box mod is recommended, they're down to around a dollar a watt. Every time, in the first few days, that you think of pouring in your old juice with nicotine, just turn up the wattage instead, watch the room vanish in walls o' vapor, and say "aaaaah".
Anybody else saying "aaaaah"?
