Help with nicotine level

[Isabelle49]

I was a smoker for 50 years! In the past 11 years I have smoked two packs a day, some half way, some just burned up, never to the filter. I was smoking Pall Mall Orange.

First Vape juice I bought was 7 mg, guy at store recommended that because inhaling the 9 mg made me cough. Well, so did the 7. I upped it to 12 mg, can't inhale that either, makes me cough. I don't care if I can inhale or not, just want to get the nic so I can stop the cigs. The 7 didn't work and neither did the 12.

As I understand that a very small amount of nicotine is absorbed with vaping, seems one would need a higher nic level to even try to "break even". Wouldn't an 18 or 24 mg nic level deliver more nic per use than a 7 or 12, even though all are still small amounts? I am really wanting to drop the cigs, but want to do what makes sense. Don't want to keep spending on low nic juice if there is,no point to it.

Help!!! Oh, and, thanks.

 

[Sanctuary Denied]

Over 20 years of cigs, I started vaping as a way to supplement my smoking and never intended to quit smoking, it just happened.
I started out at 24mg of nic and quickly dropped to 18mg. The better vape producing equipment has enabled me to drop to 3mg.
One of the hardest parts for me and to someone new trying my mod is they want to inhale it like a cigarette. First thing I tell them "fill your mouth, not your lungs, like a cigar. Try to get it just to the back of your throat and inhale a little".
It takes a little practice, but it works for me.

 

[vmtorres1]

I was a smoker for 50 years! In the past 11 years I have smoked two packs a day, some half way, some just burned up, never to the filter. I was smoking Pall Mall Orange.

First Vape juice I bought was 7 mg, guy at store recommended that because inhaling the 9 mg made me cough. Well, so did the 7. I upped it to 12 mg, can't inhale that either, makes me cough. I don't care if I can inhale or not, just want to get the nic so I can stop the cigs. The 7 didn't work and neither did the 12.

As I understand that a very small amount of nicotine is absorbed with vaping, seems one would need a higher nic level to even try to "break even". Wouldn't an 18 or 24 mg nic level deliver more nic per use than a 7 or 12, even though all are still small amounts? I am really wanting to drop the cigs, but want to do what makes sense. Don't want to keep spending on low nic juice if there is,no point to it.

Help!!! Oh, and, thanks.

Hello! Coughing can happen for different reasons, not only for the nic level. Tolerance for VG or PG is a factor. I have juices that are 3 mg that are 80% pg that kills my throat. Another factor is the resistance you are using.

Generally speaking, I use 1.2 ohm to 1.5 ohm coils in my tanks when I am using higher (12 mg) nic. If I'm using a subohm atty, i stick to 3mg nic. All of this with 65% of higher VG

Hope this helps!

 

[Siouxinpa]

Also vaping takes some getting used to for smokers. The water vapor produced is denser than smoke so it's a new sensation in the lungs. It also acts as a cleanser, just like sitting in a hot shower for an hour brings up the throat cookies in smokers the act of vaping will do the same thing.

In order for us to help more we need to know what kind of mod (battery part) and atomizer (part you put the liquid in) you have. If you know the resistance of the coil that would help too.

Edit: just looked up PM orange. Those are ultra lights, you shouldn't need anything over 12mg in any setup.

 

[Isabelle49]

Am using Kanger EVOD2. I really don't want to invest in other equipment at this time. Thanks

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

I don't think it's a matter of strength, it's a matter of technique. I am a mouth to lung vaper, inhale to mouth ..then inhale into lung. I am guessing you are a lung hitter when you vape. Try inhale to the mouth (like drinking a soda with a straw) when you have the button on the mod pushed, and as soon as you release the fire button suck it down into the lungs. This is mouth to lung and 12mg seems like a good place for you to start, with this method.

I smoked the orange pack of cigs (two packs a day) and I started at 12.

However, if you're taking straight lung hits 7 or less is probably what you need. It's important that vape satisfy your method to stay off the cigs.

2 things make for throat hit/harsh. Nicotine content and PG. The harshness is from the Nicotine, and both work on throat hit. If you're lung hitting this is why you would want less nicotine, so it's not as harsh. You can also go to a higher VG based juice to cut down on the throat hit.

I would try/practice the mouth to lung with whatever juice you have. If you still have issues then you can look at lowering the nic and go straight lung hits.

 

[coolvapes]

You'll get used to it. For me, starting vaping was like starting smoking, coughing till I got used to it. I also had to have highest nic content available to stop the cravings. Every time I craved, I vaped till I was almost sick and last thing I wanted was a cigarette. After a couple of weeks when the cravings became weaker and manageable is when I started dropping nic levels. Three month later and I'm now 3-6 mg depending if I'm using an rda or a subtank.

 

[dbrandt01]

I feel nicotine is harder to get in the setup like you have. I'd say try a 24mg in that setup. Get a small bottle of it to see if it works.

My dad uses an iStick 50w and Atlantis sub ohm tank, but he had to use 18mg unflavored in it to get him off of cigarettes. 2 packs a day for 40 years. When I did a 15mg for him, it wasn't enough.

 

[Siouxinpa]

Ok, that's 1.5-2.0 ohms. So 12mg is probably good for you. You can try higher nic levels but that won't help the coughing, in fact it may make you cough more/longer.

@Sanctuary Denied had a good suggestion to start with smoke it like a cigar. After you can do that without coughing move to a mouth to lung.

Once you stop coughing you should be satisfied with the 12.

 

[Baditude]

Pratically speaking, you don't actually have to inhale the vapor into your lungs to absorb the nicotine. Most of the nicotine in vapor is absorbed in the mouth, throat, and nose. This is because its a larger molecule in vapor.

Many new vapors cough when they first start; this usually passes as your body adjusts from smoke to vapor.

I suggest trying a liquid with more VG than Pg. These two components which make up the e-liquid base have a lot to do with how harsh the vapor is. Pg is a little more harsh than Vg. There are many e-liquid manufacturers who custom make flavors and allow you to choose the Pg/Vg ratio: Dripeez, Virgin Vapors, and VapeRite.

Also read this about "vaping technique":

For e-liquid, the typical nicotine recommendations are as follows:

1/2 pack per day or less = 6 mg nicotine
1 ppd = 12 mg
1 1/2 ppd = 18 mg
2 ppd = 24 mg

Figure on consuming at least 2 - 3 ml of liquid daily. Bottles are usually 10 or 30 ml volume.
E-liquid generally has concentrated nicotine, propylene glycol (Pg), vegetable glycerin (Vg) and flavoring extracts. The ratio of Pg and Vg is known as the pg/vg ratio, and a 50/50 blend is common.

Tips for Novices Seeking Tobacco/Cigarette Flavors

A Word on Vaping Technique

Vaper's Tongue: What is it and what can be done?
________________________________​

 

[Marina2]

I don't know if this is normal but until my pv is warmed up (after few hits) it's very harsh to me. Then it smooths out and I'm able to vape it with longer, bigger hits to get the nic I need. I use 18mg but started with 24mg. The 24 mg was too much but 18 just right for a pack a day Pall Mall red user.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

Baditude has a lot of good info and a good place to read.

Sometimes, I feel I am the only one that doesn't prioritize the lung. When I vape, I fill my mouth and then exhale through my nose. I get the taste, not the throat hit and the smell it as it exits the nose. My understanding is that the pores on my mouth and the hairs in my nose ingest the vapor fine for over-all intake.

By not using my throat, I miss out on making clouds, but that is fine for me.

It is just something that I did on day one and then got into the habit of.

YMMV

 

[Ibitz]

I was also a Pall Mall red user. Smoked a little over a pack a day. My son as well, but I think he was closer to two packs a day. We both started with a small starter kit with 24mg nicotine. He coughed like crazy for 2 days when he started vaping, I never did. In fact I used to cough all the time with smoking but my smokers cough was gone within the first week. As our gear got better we were also able to lower our nic....now down to 6mg. Keep at it, it will get better and hopefully you can toss those cigs and never look back.

 

[Isabelle49]

I don't inhale the Vape into my lungs and I'm fine with that. Reading that absorption is about 30% with vaping and considering one pack pall mall orange = 10 to 12 mg total nicotine, a liquid of less than 18 mg wouldn't deliver much nicotine. Roughly 1/3 of 18 is 6 which is equal to about 1/2 pack pall mall orange. I was going through 2 packs a day on most days. Using the E-Liquid Calculator showed that at 24 mg nicotine vaped 3/ml per day would be = to 18 analogs of the type I smoked. Trying to find the right number. Don't care if I inhale to lungs or not. Am holding vapor in mouth for 5 to 10 seconds.

Rarely to never cough with the analogs, but I do think a chemical component in them dulls the cough reflex.

 

[GemInEye]

I had this same problem for the longest time and someone suggested putting 1 or 2 Drops of water in the tank. It worked really well and I was able to vape 12 with no problem.

 

[Just Me]

When I first started vaping, I couldn't inhale, either. Vape shop recommended I use 6mg instead of 12mg. Didn't help, still couldn't inhale at first. Took me almost two weeks, taking in just a tiny bit at a time. Concentrate first on learning to inhale, worry about the higher nic strengths later if you need it. As has been said, the nic from vaping is absorbed mostly through the mucous membranes in the mouth and nose, so inhaling isn't really necessary. It just feels more like smoking.

 

[Isabelle49]

Inhaling is not the problem. Nicotine level is. If it is too low, my brain will drive me toward an analog, it seems, since the brain likes nicotine.

 

[edyle]

I was a smoker for 50 years! In the past 11 years I have smoked two packs a day, some half way, some just burned up, never to the filter. I was smoking Pall Mall Orange.

First Vape juice I bought was 7 mg, guy at store recommended that because inhaling the 9 mg made me cough. Well, so did the 7. I upped it to 12 mg, can't inhale that either, makes me cough. I don't care if I can inhale or not, just want to get the nic so I can stop the cigs. The 7 didn't work and neither did the 12.

As I understand that a very small amount of nicotine is absorbed with vaping, seems one would need a higher nic level to even try to "break even". Wouldn't an 18 or 24 mg nic level deliver more nic per use than a 7 or 12, even though all are still small amounts? I am really wanting to drop the cigs, but want to do what makes sense. Don't want to keep spending on low nic juice if there is,no point to it.

Help!!! Oh, and, thanks.

it's normal to start off with a high nicotine strength to get off the cigs.


what nicotine strength you vape will eventually relate to what wattage you vape at.
rule of thumb: watts x milligramstrength = 100

 

[hobbes4]

Higher VG juice will smooth out the vape but i'm not sure if the Evod can keep up with the wicking demands of high VG juice. It's quite possible the harsh hits you're getting has nothing to do with the nic level and everything to do with partial dry hits. I haven't used Evods in a long time but when i did i remember using 70% PG / 30% VG.

I know you don't want to invest anymore money but unfortunately finding the right vape requires a lot more trial and error than traditional cigs. Luckily the market is so over saturated you don't have to spend a lot to find something decent. Resistance, wire gauge, wicking material, air flow, nic, and PG/VG ratio all play a roll in the type of vape you get.

Since you were/are a smoker for 50 years i would not expect 7mg or 12mg nic to be harsh for you. I suspect it's something else making the vape to harsh for you.

 

[hobbes4]

Also, when you fill the Evod for the first time do you let sit for a few minutes to make sure the wick is fully saturated? If the wick is not fully saturated on the first fill up you will get a dry hit or partial dry hit and ruin coil.