Do you vape more than when you smoked?

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Opinionated

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I believe it's more complicated than you think to come up with general answers.

Are the results from a juul or other device that runs at a single-digit wattage going to be comparable to the results from an rda run at a triple-digit wattage? Will there be actual vapers present to sample the setups to ensure that they're being run in a realistic manner and not overheated and dry puffed? What PG/VG ratio will be used? What flavorings will be used in the liquids and at what percentage?

We know from experience that such studies can show very bad results (formaldehyde, etc.) if the devices are pushed too hard, in a manner that real vapers simply don't. We know that some flavoring ingredients have the potential to be problematical, and I don't just mean diketones.

The variety of gear, liquid compositions, and today even nic (salt) formulas, make this a far bigger task than it appears at first glance.


Wasn't there a study done that ANTS tried to bury where they did an air quality study in a vape shop that vaping was allowed in? If I recall that air quality test came up clean.. very much so.

I think what they have a more difficult time with is what is going directly into our lungs.. because as you said, that can wildly vary..
 
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DaveP

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FWIW, this article appears to be accurate enough to let the average vaper discover how much nicotine they are vaping per day at the nic level they use. Of course, it all depends on how you vape, MTL, DTL, or not inhaling and the wattage and air flow of your vape.

How Many Puffs of Vape Nicotine Equal One Cigarette?
 

Rossum

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FWIW, this article appears to be accurate enough to let the average vaper discover how much nicotine they are vaping per day at the nic level they use. Of course, it all depends on how you vape, MTL, DTL, or not inhaling and the wattage and air flow of your vape.

How Many Puffs of Vape Nicotine Equal One Cigarette?
The problem with analyzing it based on the nic strength of liquid times the number of ml consumed vs. the amount of nicotine in a tobacco cigarette is that it neither accounts for how much is actually absorbed. The only way to know for sure is to look at blood plasma levels.
 

Electrodave

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I no doubt vape more than I smoked. And I smoked 25-30 cigarettes a day. When I'm at the computer, I used to chain smoke. Now I chain vape, and I never have to put it out. Also, I never smoked in my shop (forbidden!), but I vape while I'm working now. For me, that's the big difference. Cigarettes go out. If my vape goes dry (which takes more puffs than a cigarette), I switch setups or reach for the bottle.
 

DaveP

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The problem with analyzing it based on the nic strength of liquid times the number of ml consumed vs. the amount of nicotine in a tobacco cigarette is that it neither accounts for how much is actually absorbed. The only way to know for sure is to look at blood plasma levels.

Agree. I vape more often at 3mg nic strength and much less often at 18mg nic. When I went out to the smoking area once every hours or two I'd smoke one or two and go back inside with a buzz. I like the explanation below.

nicotine absorbed vaping vs smoking - Bing
Do you absorb more nicotine from vaping or smoking?
A cigarette has many other particles, toxins and chemicals apart from tobacco and nicotine which making it extremely harmful. From vaping yes you absorb but it takes longer as opposed to smoking. Ultimately, the body only gets satisfied after getting a certain amount of nicotine which is actually what you are addicted to.
 

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Agree. I vape more often at 3mg nic strength and much less often at 18mg nic. When I went out to the smoking area once every hours or two I'd smoke one or two and go back inside with a buzz. I like the explanation below.

nicotine absorbed vaping vs smoking - Bing

We still don't know (*I don't believe) what exposure versus absorption rates are.

With smoking I was exposed to between 8 - 20 mg x 40 (Marlboro Reds and L&M reds, l&m being a Marlboro off brand made by Marlboro) as I was a 2PAD smoker.. so on the lower end thats an exposure of 320mg of nicotine.

Now, I vape a total of 6 mg per day (2ml of 3mg a day)

My assumption is that even saying absorption rates are wildly different, my nicotine consumption per day is far far far lower than it was as a smoker. (and I'm sure it is as I'm certain downing 2 packs of cigarettes in one day now would literally make me sick)

However, as each individual has varying absorption rates, and each method is different *mtl, dl, high wattage, low wattage etc. the absorption rates aren't something that can actually be pinned down and applied to everyone beyond how each individual feels..

My husband was a single pack a day smoker and needed far more nicotine to get away from cigarettes than I did, for instance, and my SIL, who like me smoked 2PAD, required far less - and we ALL made the switch using MTL low wattage gear..

and thats the issue, our individual absorption rates wildly vary, not even counting varying vaping styles so it's not something that can be pinned down as an exact science.
 
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Rossum

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With smoking I was exposed to between 8 - 20 mg x 40 (Marlboro Reds and L&M reds, l&m being a Marlboro off brand made by Marlboro) as I was a 2PAD smoker.. so on the lower end thats an exposure of 320mg of nicotine.
One thing people don't take into consideration with this kind of analysis is that much of the nicotine present in tobacco is destroyed during combustion.

Now, I vape a total of 6 mg per day (2ml of 3mg a day)
That's an atypically low nicotine consumption for an ex-smoker, several standard deviations below the norm.
 
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Opinionated

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That's an atypically low nicotine consumption for an ex-smoker, several standard deviations below the norm.

I agree much nicotine is lost during combustion, but not all.

As for my current nicotine consumption rate it's gone down over time. After nearly 5-1/2 years I just don't need nicotine much..

understandably, not everyone is the same in this regard.
 
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AvaOrchid

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Yes when Im sitting around doing nothing I pretty much sit there and vape all the time. Though when I go out say to watch a movie or something or if I'm doing a course I don't get the severe urge to vape like I did when I was a smoker. When I was a smoker and I was out doing something I'd start to feel like crap if I didn't have a cig
I hadn't thought about it until this thread ask but I feel the same way I would avoid going somewhere that I didn't have an opportunity to go out and smoke a cigarette at least every half an hour. Like I would go out to eat and order drinks go have a cigarette get the appetizers go have a cigarette get the meal sometimes I would eat my food cold because I went out to have a cigarette at least three or four times during an hour and a half dinner I would go outside to smoke a cigarette. I never go outside to vape or vape inside I never pick up a vape when I'm out to eat not until I get in the car and head home.. I felt it was wasteful to pay for a movie I still kind of do but for different reasons because I would spend at least 20% of the movie outside smoking. I do not have that rabid desire for nicotine when it comes to vaping. While I don't know how much nicotine I absorbed smoking versus how much I absorb vaping I do know that if you compare the amount of available for the amount I was smoking versus the amount available for the amount on vaping it is significantly lower and I'm inclined to believe that my absorption is also much lower because I don't have that rabid desire where I will leave my family and eat cold spaghetti because I had to have a cigarette
 

AvaOrchid

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I don't think we know exactly how much nicotine is absorbed from vaping however I can guarantee that you're not absorbing more nicotine than there is available in the juice. So if you vape 4ml of 3 mg a day there is no feasible human way that you could be absorbing more than 12 mg of nic. Let's go on the very low end of what you're likely getting per cigarette 1 mg of nicotine I haven't seen any studies say that it goes that low so usually 1.1 to 1.8 depending on the cigarette however let's just go with 1mg to be incredibly generous to cigarettes. I was smoking at a minimum 40 cigarettes every single day so that's likely a bare minimum of 40 mg of nicotine! If we're going to go to the maximum possible nicotine that I'm getting per day from vaping it would be 12 mg and the likelihood that you're actually inhaling and absorbing every bit of that nicotine is virtually impossible. So maybe that incredible difference is why I don't feel the need to run out in the middle of dinner four times... just to make sure no-one misunderstands I am in no way shape or form knocking anyone for how much nicotine they're absorbing. I'm personally wanted to reduce my nicotine consumption so when I look at the number 40 and then I look at the number 12 maximum it makes me happy personally for my goals do I think there's a problem with absorbing 40 mg of nicotine know do I think there's a problem with absorbing all the tar and other chemicals that come along with combustible cigarettes yeah do I judge anyone for that absolutely not
 

DaveP

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My husband was a single pack a day smoker and needed far more nicotine to get away from cigarettes than I did, for instance, and my SIL, who like me smoked 2PAD, required far less - and we ALL made the switch using MTL low wattage gear..

and thats the issue, our individual absorption rates wildly vary, not even counting varying vaping styles so it's not something that can be pinned down as an exact science.

When I smoked it was Marlboro Reds and later I switched to Merits and finally to the light and ultra light Merits. A pack a day of the Marlboro Reds was about right. By the time I got to the Merit blue pack (ultra lights) I was burning up three packs some days. Then, vaping appeared and I bought a Joye 510. After that, I never smoked again. It's been almost 10 years.
 
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