Eliquid potency

[Kate]

As far as I know the amount of nicotine taken in from cigarettes is usually 0.8, 1 or 1.2 mg per cig. Taking an average of 1mg nic per cig that means that 1ml of 36mg juice equals 36 cigs worth.

I have the impression that many people vapourise about 2ml of eliquid per day.

That means that if they use 36mg juice they are getting the equivalent of 72 cigs worth of nic per day.
With 24mg juice it would be the same as 48 cigs.
With 18mg juice it would be 36
With 16mg juice it would be 32
With 9mg juice it would be 18
With 7mg juice it would be 14 cigs worth per day.

Are we at risk of increasing our tolerance of nicotine without realising how much we are dosing ourselves?

One thing we don't know though is how much nicotine is absorbed from vapour. We don't know if more, less or the same amounts enter our blood stream as with cigarette smoke.

Do you know how many ml of juice you vapourise per day?

 

[SmokingInTexas]

I drip a generic pen (no carts). I been using about 2.5ml to 3.0ml a day (18mg). I used to smoke a little over a pack a day of full flavor, AND, I feel that I am getting more nicotine than I need (or was used to).

If I could train myself to not puff on the thing so much I'd be OK(better). I'm actually going to go down a level on the next juice I use. I suspect "MY" equivalent would be about 2ml a day. I've also experimented a little with cutting the juice with VG, but it makes the marlboro juice a little too sweet. Still playing though.

So your numbers sound about right in my opinion/estimation.

 

[Kate]

Well, I'm just making guesses based on piecing together bits of information I've come across. I do have a feeling that esmoking gives us more nicotine than we usually give it credit for. Some seasoned smokers have reported overdose symptoms and I've had some myself so I know vapour can be potent.

Nicotine isn't really very good for health as far as we know although it's possible that a low dose could have benefits. It worries me that we are getting used to delivering higher levels of something toxic when we might have a fight ahead to justify the use of nicotine at all.

I really have no idea how much juice I use in a day. I swap flavours frequently so I'm using different bottles. I vape pretty much constantly so I guess it's a lot. To compensate for quantity I try to use less potent levels usually. I'm not going to try to cut nicotine out entirely because I believe it can have benefits but I'm going to maintain a level, low dose when I get organised with my eliquid.

 

[Ruby]

Kate that made me think!!!

I reckon I overshoot on nic. I never calculate my top ups - I just do it on auto. Like you I vape constantly . Think I will now mix up a hefty vg cut & go for much lower dose nic (I like the sweetish taste) and start watching my intake closely.

 

[Kate]

It shocked me a bit when I started thinking about it Ruby, it wasn't something I had taken very seriously. I think we become accustomed to higher doses fairly quickly and get fewer symptoms that we're getting more than enough.

 

[DeviLFisH]

Well, I'm just making guesses based on piecing together bits of information I've come across. I do have a feeling that esmoking gives us more nicotine than we usually give it credit for. Some seasoned smokers have reported overdose symptoms and I've had some myself so I know vapour can be potent.

Nicotine isn't really very good for health as far as we know although it's possible that a low dose could have benefits. It worries me that we are getting used to delivering higher levels of something toxic when we might have a fight ahead to justify the use of nicotine at all.

I really have no idea how much juice I use in a day. I swap flavours frequently so I'm using different bottles. I vape pretty much constantly so I guess it's a lot. To compensate for quantity I try to use less potent levels usually. I'm not going to try to cut nicotine out entirely because I believe it can have benefits but I'm going to maintain a level, low dose when I get organised with my eliquid.

maybe I keep e puff constant, that why
ya I also feel we "might" addicted to more nicotine?

last time as I mention I used to smoke low mg and nicotine
now smoking a higher tar and higher nicotine brand of real cig

for me I use e cig as an alternative to smoke beside real cig.

 

[leaford]

That's why I mostly use medium or low in my main e-cig for most of my puffing with high in a second e-cig for occasional high dose puffs.

 

[doggsie]

Kate i think you have hit it on the head, i am brand new to ecigs, i mean brand new like last night proper and i think the heady feeling i'm getting from MLB cart with JB is very likely a nic OD, so i only got 12 packs of carts to get through on high and i think i will have to downgrade.

 

[Kate]

Doggsie, welcome to the forum.

If you are concerned about getting used to a high dose you could consider squeezing the juice out of the cartridges you have and dilute the juice with lower or zero nic juice or glycerine. There's a diy eliquid board on the forum if you want to look into it a bit more.

 

[Soot]

Kate linked me to this thread and I'm wondering if you've hit on a potential problem or whether those other chemicals burnt in a cigarette have a limiting factor that is more important in determining how much we smoke.

I've just checked my cupboard where I've assorted NRT therapies that haven't worked for me. The Nicorette Inhalator has 10mg nic. per cartridge. The dosage advice is that 6 - 12 cartridges can be used "as required". This puts the max dose at 120mg (excluding nic. lost due to evaporation occurring between use).

I expect the Nicorette Inhalator has gone through more rigorous testing than the small scale operations of e-cig providers have been able to do. Yet, a max does of 120mg seems a very heavy daily dose.

I'm not for a moment suggesting that care shouldn't be taken to avoid nic. poisoning. Ironically, the times I've experienced the symptoms of nic. overdose have all been when on NRT.

It would appear though that the NRT therapy aimed at reducing or stopping smoking accepts a very high level of nic. entering your system daily. Your average 20 a day Marlboro smoker might take in 20-30mg nic. a day (between "Lights" and "Red"). The Inhalator dose of 6 cartridges will be more than double that dose.

My Grand-da smoked non-filtered, lived to 84, drank whiskey with a pint of bottled Guinness on a night out, had yellow fingers - but even he would never have reached a 120mg daily dose.

I'm just posting this as food for thought.

 

[Kate]

I don't know much about NRT or the dose it delivers but I do know that once I tried nic gum and got overdose symptoms so it's probably worth watching your dose if on NRT also. Too much nic has been proven to cause high cholesterol, heart and circulatory problems. There are some benefits to nic but as far as I can tell they are best as low doses.

 

[Bastage]

I think the idea is, (and this is only my take on things) is that you use 36mg but you don't use nearly as much of it per day. I don't personally want to have the ecig attached to my face all day. I'd rather take a 4 or 5 strong puffs of 36mg and be satisfied quickly than take 20+ puffs of a lower strength liquid. All your parts have the probability of lasting longer, your liquid cost goes way down, and your batteries last longer because you don't need to puff all day. Just depends on your goal... if you smoke these like a pipe and enjoy toking on it all day you would definitely be better off lowering the potency in your liquid to control daily intake. I haven't used any 36mg yet, but I have some on order. I'm hoping 36mg will be more like real smoking because with smoking real cigs it's a very quick rush of nicotine and your body says hey I'm done. Then you don't need any more for a while. I'll definitely be limiting my daily intake of the strong stuff.

 

[baalel]

I keep 2 e-cigs on me at all times, one with a high nic level, somewhere around 24mg to get my dose when the cravings strike, and a second with a zero nic flavour to satisfy the 'habit' side of smoking.

Personally I think my nic intake has gone down since e-smoking using this method.

I cut my own liquid from a 36mg stock, and hope to dilute the 24mg nicotone dose further over time by adding more VG each time I make a new batch.

 

[SMILIN]

I keep 2 e-cigs on me at all times, one with a high nic level, somewhere around 24mg to get my dose when the cravings strike, and a second with a zero nic flavour to satisfy the 'habit' side of smoking.

Personally I think my nic intake has gone down since e-smoking using this method.

I cut my own liquid from a 36mg stock, and hope to dilute the 24mg nicotone dose further over time by adding more VG each time I make a new batch.

It is almost a month for me, so, I will start dowongrading my nic intqake in a few more weeks. It is very individual....

 

[Sachiko]

Thanks for posting this list. Im new to this - Just got my ecig today. I better go read up on diluting nic juice.

 

[Pegaso]

One thing we don't know though is how much nicotine is absorbed from vapour. We don't know if more, less or the same amounts enter our blood stream as with cigarette smoke.

I remember reading in a message by TropicalBob, from one of his email conversations with Dr. Laugesen, that we absorb 99% of the nicotine in vapour.
From a common cigarette, maybe we loose half of it (part we don't absorb, part lost in filter, and part from the smoke we don't inhale while the cig burns...)

So... maybe your calculations are even low...
scary, isn't it?

I really think that using liquids with more than 16mg should be something sporadic... when you really feel lack of nicotine. Using 36mg the whole day... I think that's a bit crazy, but... it's only my opinion (yes, I think many e-smokers are overdosing...).

 

[Bertrand]

Nicotine vapour combusts at a much lower temperature (35C) than it boils (247C), so either smoking or vaporizing you would think a lot of it's going to get burnt off. I don't think you can really compare the absolute nicotine content of a solution to that of a cigarette to extrapolate what is actually absorbed.

Either way, considering it only takes about eight seconds to reach your brain, it's pretty hard to unintentionally overdose past the point of nausea through smoking.

 

[SANJP]

I think the worst bit about this is all I and most of my friends who smoke dont really know if its the NIc that satifies the cravings for a cigarrette or the throat hit .

I find as long as I have a throat hit I feel as though Ive had my dose If I dont I keep puffing away .

Bottom line Im going to try DIY juice until I find one that give the all important hit then remove the Nic from the mix to find what it is that actually does cause the throat hit is it the Nicotine ? the atomiser ? the device or the flavour ?

Better start Experimenting...

 

[yo han]

Bottom line Im going to try DIY juice until I find one that give the all important hit then remove the Nic from the mix to find what it is that actually does cause the throat hit is it the Nicotine ? the atomiser ? the device or the flavour ?

No need for that. Why not buy some high and zero liquid of the same taste? Nicotine doesn't contribute to throat hit, it's the rest of the ingredients and the device you're using.

 

[Kate]

The pH levels contribute to absorption too, nicotine is absorbed better in an alkaline environment. Our vapour is alkaline, so are cigars and pipe smoke (which we aren't supposed to inhale), cigarette smoke is acid.

The throat hit is probably a combination of things, nicotine content, alkalinity, atomiser temperature and additives in the juice.

A regular, high dose of nicotine could be building tolerance for some of us and causing circulatory problems.