Newb mistake when picking nicotine levels

[anim8r]

So I ordered the Green Smoke starter kits for my wife and I.

While the kits (e cigs) are cool, I ordered what I thought was a comparable level of nicotine for the carts, 6mg--which are supposed to be considered a "light" cigarette equivolent.

I can definitely say that they aren't remotely close to the correct level.

While a machine might gently pull out 5mg from a marlboro ultralight, humans obviously tug a helluva lot more out of them.

My wife feels the same way.

So I ordered the much stronger "unfiltered" type of carts.

If you're new, I suggest going 2 levels higher than their charts and working your way down.

 

[Arizona Dad]

A lot of posts deal with this problem. Most suggest that you order a higher nicotine level than you think you need, then you can dilute it with 0mg PG or VG juice. I smoked Marlboro medium 100s and found that 18mg was about right for me.

 

[yknotagain]

I was an ultralight smoker b4 I quit (after smoking full flavor for many years) and find 12mg to be good for most vaping. Sometimes I can vape 0 and at times I use 18 or 24mg. It seems I feel the nic less at times of higher stress and require the higher levels at those times. When I'm more relaxed, the lower levels are fine for me.

 

[Angela]

From what I've read, and from conversations with manufacturers, it seems that the number of cigarettes you smoked has far more bearing on the strength of carts/e-liquid you should get than the type of cigarette you smoked.

 

[Heed]

I always suggest starting with 18mg. Vaping is pretty inefficient at delivering the nicotine (just over half doesn't make it from the liquid-->vapour transition). Anything less than 18mg to start with is likely to be unsatisfying to all but the lightest of smokers (a few a day).

 

[Jim Davis]

2 packs of lights a day for over 40 years. 18mg is the magic number for me.

 

[Deschain]

That's quite interesting Angela, what did they suggest as an mg-to-cig ratio?

I've actually found as somebody who smoked between 20-25 roll ups per day, that 24mg is perfect for me...I (wrongly) assumed that due to smoking unfiltered that I wold need 36mg to match the unfiltered hand rolling tobacco...glad I went for the lower level.


.

 

[anim8r]

Well, both my wife and I smoked a pack of ultralight cigarettes per day.

It may be just green smoke's particular cartridges, but the "light" or "medium" carts as they are marked seem extremely light in nicotine, even though these e cigs produce a HUGE amount of vapor (very much like smoking a real cigarette), I don't get the traditional 'buzz' from my morning smoke break like I do on a regular cigarette.

Hopefully the stronger carts will curb my cravings more.


Oh and the flavors on the carts I currently have is a bit of a mixed lot.

The apple flavor is very slight (hardly any taste at all) while the tobacco are very flavorful (almost too flavorful -- lol, I'm such a whiner).

Still, I'm very impressed with these e cigs. I saw one about 6 months ago and thought "no way". I'm glad I decided to give them a try

 

[Angela]

That's quite interesting Angela, what did they suggest as an mg-to-cig ratio?

I've actually found as somebody who smoked between 20-25 roll ups per day, that 24mg is perfect for me...I (wrongly) assumed that due to smoking unfiltered that I wold need 36mg to match the unfiltered hand rolling tobacco...glad I went for the lower level.


.

I've got it written down somewhere.... I'll see if I can dig it out

 

[anim8r]

2 packs of lights a day for over 40 years. 18mg is the magic number for me.

The "unfiltered" level is supposed to be 16mg.

I hope those are going to work. I actually prefer smoking these to the real thing. Not nearly as harsh and a LOT more convenient.

I was smoking at work this last Friday and nobody gave me any crap after I answered a couple of questions.

 

[Kate51]

I was very wrong, also, we used RYO and "good" tobacco. But wonder of wonders, the industry once again dealt a very nasty blow, I had been smoking 2-3 packs a day of "light" cigarettes, at a hefty nicotine level. We raised our nic on those things! Really, they lie?
So my vape had to be 24 mg juice also, and I did come down to 18 mg with no problem. Which was a huge eye-opener, my next step-down when I'm ready won't be such a big deal, maybe. I want to go to 12mg, and hold for awhile. But first want to naturally slow down vaping cadence, then go for the lower nic. For awhile you'll pick up the cadence a bit, but slowly that will subside. It's so easy it's almost funny. It really doesn't ruin your whole day! It happens very slowly, I just watch how long a 30ml bottle lasts, and I am amazed that it really does sort of just happens. But in the meantime I don't feel like a slave to smoking anymore.

 

[Jim Davis]

The "unfiltered" level is supposed to be 16mg.

I hope those are going to work. I actually prefer smoking these to the real thing. Not nearly as harsh and a LOT more convenient.

I was smoking at work this last Friday and nobody gave me any crap after I answered a couple of questions.

How much & how long you vape is going to play into this too. If you vape heavy, your nic level can be reduced.

 

[anim8r]

Thanks for all of the responses.

I've been "vaping" about 8-12 times every 20-30 minutes. Really starting to like the tobacco flavor.

I stop when the cartridge starts really heating up. Usually I take about two quick puffs followed by a 2-3 second pull.

This produces a ton of vapor for me, but after the 10th drag or so, the cart gets really warm and I'm not sure if that's a bad thing yet.

 

[oldtechno]

As a newbie, I can only say;
Don't vape as much....OR...get more kits .

My opinion is, you vaping so much might be a good thing since it'll keep you off ....-logs cigarettes. On the other hand, if you have much nicotine in your cartridge, and you keep vaping like that, you'll probably get the 'runs'. (I mean running for the bathroom to take a dump...nicotine is a laxative(sp?)).

 

[Marinus]

whats the throat hit like with the 0mg stuff?
i ordered some 24mg and some 0mg, im going to try to get a good mix and estimate the best mg level for me.

 

[kristin]

Here is the "rule of thumb" I've seen & posted on my 510 Guide:

Occasional smoker: Zero to Low
Under 1 pack a day: Low to Medium
Under 2 packs a day: Medium to High
Over 2 packs a day: High to Extra High

Different strengths:
0mg
Extra Low: 6-8mg
Low: 10-12mg
Medium: 16-18mg
High: 24-26mg
Extra High: 36mg

I was an "Under 1 pack" smoker and went with Low and that has been great - even a little high, as I vape more than I smoke now, because I didn't smoke in the house! LOL! So, I'll probably go to 6mg.

We started my husband on Medium, as he was a pack a day smoker, but the vendor's "Medium" was 18mg. We went to a new vendor, he only had 12mg or 24 ng, so we got him 24mg. That's good, unless he's drinking. So, we upped it to 36mg for him. He vapes less than I do - more like when he smoked, so that is good for his nic fits at work and when drinking.

 

[Kate51]

Maybe it would have been better for me if I had just vaped the way I smoked, too, I just didn't start out high enough for that. Took a couple weeks on 16mg (high?), by the time I found JC to order 24mg, the order took over a week, and I had bunches of extra carts from NPro, which I really didn't like, but I was adamant about not touching another cigarette. I was ok, but not 'comfortable'...then again, I smoked like a chimney too! So took awhile for me to get both oars in the water. I didn't find ECF until about 3 weeks into it, so felt kind of lonely. Once I did find it I just read for weeks! I do sympathize with the newcomers, it's really daunting start 'catching' up now, although the New Members' Forum in great...lot's don't even read that, however!!

 

[Allestaria]

I was a 2+ pack a day smoker of lights. And I find that I can't handle anything higher then 8mg.

But I'm still new to this and haven't experimented a lot. 18mg gave me one heck of a head rush and I felt well drunk. Tried 16mg the same. 11mg working on but throat hit is harder then I expected.
8mg seems to be my sweet spot. Guess it really does vary from person to person.

 

[anim8r]

Here is the "rule of thumb" I've seen & posted on my 510 Guide:

Occasional smoker: Zero to Low
Under 1 pack a day: Low to Medium
Under 2 packs a day: Medium to High
Over 2 packs a day: High to Extra High

Different strengths:
0mg
Extra Low: 6-8mg
Low: 10-12mg
Medium: 16-18mg
High: 24-26mg
Extra High: 36mg

I was an "Under 1 pack" smoker and went with Low and that has been great - even a little high, as I vape more than I smoke now, because I didn't smoke in the house! LOL! So, I'll probably go to 6mg.

We started my husband on Medium, as he was a pack a day smoker, but the vendor's "Medium" was 18mg. We went to a new vendor, he only had 12mg or 24 ng, so we got him 24mg. That's good, unless he's drinking. So, we upped it to 36mg for him. He vapes less than I do - more like when he smoked, so that is good for his nic fits at work and when drinking.

That chart looks to be right.

The Green Smoke lists their ultra light equivalent at 6mg (the carts are marked medium) and that just wasn't enough for us.

I'll definitely pass that chart off to the guys and gals at work as I convert them =]

 

[kristin]

Ultra light cigarettes really don't have less nicotine - that's part of the problem. They are supposed to be less tar and nicotine, but from what I've read, that's tested on smoking machines. The holes they put in filters to make the "reduction" get covered by the smoker's mouth and/or fingers IRL, basically making them regulars. Plus, when I smoked ultralights, I would drag harder on them and smoked more of them.

So, I'm not sure if the type of cig translates well. You really have to look at how often you smoked - basically, how often you needed more nicotine, HOW you smoked them and what your triggers were.

However, it seems that a 2 pack a day ultra-light smoker translates to a 1 pack a day regular smoker when it comes to vaping.