I am trying to determine how much nicotine I am consuming on a daily basis. Every other nicotine deliverance system I know of (patches/gum/analogs) has a set amount per item. Each patch has the same, each piece of gum the same, etc. This allows me to control the amount of nicotine I am receiving on a daily basis.
Not quite. The factors in nicotine absorption are related to the biological availability of the nicotine present. With the patch and gum it may have X number of mg of nicotine present in the product but typically one absorbs far less than that number (and obviously cannot absorb more than that number).
For example a 4mg piece of nicorette may have far less nicotine biologically available depending on one's chewing habits and what other things they are eating or drinking. Acidic foods and drinks for example make the nicotine far less biologically available because nicotine cannot be absorbed in acidic environment. Which of course is why tobacco is not used digestively, like say caffeine or alcohol, the body simply could not process the nicotine through the digestive tract--though it can through mucosa and the lungs.
Furthermore the patch is heat sensitive--hence the warnings about not exercising while wearing the patch. While no patch or gum would have more nicotine than the amount listed the amount actually absorbed can and does vary greatly.
Also I would say that in my opinion attempting to pin down the exact amount of nicotine you are absorbing per day is a pointless exercise and an over complication. I find no need to know that number (assuming it could even be calculated without using a machine to test the nicotine concentrations in your blood--due to the dozens of variables involved). I find it more relevant to know the amount of ml of juice I need to consume based on the mg/ml strength to be useful information.
For example I need 3 ml of juice at 15mg/ml per day.
So, my question is, how is the nicotine levels in e-juice calculated? If I get a 5ml bottle of juice with 12mg of nicotine and a 30ml bottle with 12mg, what would be the difference?
Nicotine strength of a juice is calculated by the number of milligrams of nicotine per milliliter of liquid. Or mg/mL.
A 12mg/ml (which is the standard way nicotine is listed for e-juice) is 12mg/ml regardless the size of the bottle. The only difference between a 5ml bottle of juice at 12mg/ml and a 30ml bottle at 12mg/ml is the size of the bottle. (assuming we're talking about both juice bottles containing the same flavor)
It is like trying to argue the difference between two cars of the same model with only one being modified to have a 5 gallon tank instead of a 30 gallon tank. There is no difference except one of the two cars holds a larger volume of gas.
That said, a 5ml bottle of juice at 12mg/ml has 60mg of nicotine in it, and a 30ml bottle at 12mg/ml has 360mg of nicotine in it. However both of those numbers is irrelevant. Like the car with the bigger gas tank the 30ml bottle has more nicotine contained in it, but the fact that it does is irrelevant.
By these numbers, I would get the same daily amount of nicotine from both bottles. If I vaped the 5ml in one day, I would get a daily dose of 12mg. If I vaped the 30ml bottle in one day, then I would still only get a daily dose of 12mg. Is this correct, or is there another way to determine how much nicotine I am getting on a daily basis?
No by those numbers you would not get 12mg of nicotine if you vaped 5ml of juice at 12mg/ml you would have vaped 60mg of nicotine. How much nicotine you absorbed is anyone's guess--unless you're hooked up to a machine to test the nicotine concentration in your blood. Again the absorption of nicotine has very many variables.
That said I don't know anyone whose vaped 30ml of juice regardless its mg/ml content in a single day. The heaviest vapers I know only vape around 6ml a day. They also vape at quite low concentrations of nicotine (9mg/ml and 6mg/ml respectively).
If your ultimate goal is to quit nicotine altogether my suggestion would be to not worry about the number of milligrams of nicotine you absorb per day--because honestly that number is an unknown unless you are hooked up to a machine to test your blood--and it is an unnecessary over complication. That over complication could lead to frustration and that frustration could lead to a relapse into smoking. (Believe me when I tried "quitting" smoking before I failed due to frustration more than anything else.)
I would further suggest that if your end goal is to quit nicotine that you gradually lower the concentration in mg/ml of your juice and the number of ml/day of juice you vape.
Indeed Mrs. Katz asked me earlier this week if I was planning to quit nicotine altogether. I said no, I have no such plans--and I don't. My plan is to gradually lower my nicotine level over time. Mostly because I've found that lower mg/ml nicotine juices taste better. The fact that I'm absorbing less nicotine than I did previously is of little consequence.
