What Liquid Strength is Best for a 15 x Marlboro Light Smoker?

[Summers_Slayer]

Hi

I was bought the Halo Ultra tank just over a week ago and through vaping a mix of liquids I have gone from 15 cigs a day to 6. I smoked for 22 years so I am cutting down by 1 as week now to aim to have stopped Mid December at the latest.

I smoked 15 x 0.5mg Nic Marlboro Lights, but I can't get my head around what liquid is best. What I've tried so far:

1. 12mg American Red. Love the taste and vape about 2ml a day.
2. 18mg American Red. Same great taste but it has a harder kick. Can only take about 4 vapes at a time, which I do about 12 of the 12mg, which to me feels more like a normal cig.
3. I thought I'd give a flavour a go and have tried coconut but this is actually 24mg! Didn't realise I'd bought the highest strength until I looked at the bottle properly. Love the taste again and the kick is harder than the 12mg American Red but not as hard as the 18mg American Red. I've been taking about 1ml of this a day too.

I don't want to end up with tonnes of flavours at different strengths and I was happy with the 12mg until I saw the coconut was 24mg, but I can't take much of the 18mg so its all a bit strange and confusing!

Should I just stick to the 12mg and get a coconut in 12mg and maybe just take 2ml of it and 2ml of the American Red? Or up it all to 18mg? I don't want to become more dependant than I am and from reading forums, it would seem that 15 x 0.5 marlboro lights = 7.5mg a day, where 2 x 12ml = 24mg + 1 x 24ml = 48mg a day which is a hell of an increase!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks a lot
Summers

 

[Dana A]

Welcome to the forums The nic in e liquid isn't delivered as efficiently as the nic in cigs so you may need a higher mg then you did with cigs. Listening to your post I would stick with the 12 but still keep some 18 on hand for when 12 just doesn't cut it. Listen to your body and do what satisfies you

 

[norcalmike]

I went from Marlboro lights 15 or so a day to the 24 mg Halo tribeca. now im down to 18 because i vape alot and i was getting a tingling from the 24.
the tribeca is awesome. once it steeps a little the flavor gets better. when it ages a few days in the bottle, it seemed to get even better.
I was able to get off the Marlboro lights completely with the tribeca and a cheap EGO at first. im on an MVP with an EVOD now.
good luck!

 

[ShariR]

I smoked about 2 pad Marlboro lights 100s for 45 years. I started at 18mg and had cravings and a not satisfied feeling until after the first week I upped the nic to 24mg and that did the trick for me. You can drop your nic later on in stages. Vape the 12mg for several days and see how you feel. If you are having cravings or feel 'like something is chasing you' then up it to the 18mg and vape that for a week or so. Some people, even though they smoke a pack a day or less need the higher nic. Some who go through 2 pad really only smoke a portion of that because they let them burn out in the ashtray. It is a matter of trying one level for several days to a week and see how you feel. If you keep getting dizzy or not feeling well, then drop the nic lower. It ends up being trial and error and what will work for you.

If you bounce around during the day in the beginning, it may be hard to figure it out. Some people can do the higher in the morning and lower it at night. You will get it. You are doing great.

 

[Stosh]

You're comparing apples and oranges a bit... The amount of nic you absorb from a cigarette (not what's contained in the tobacco before burning) and the amount of nic in the liquid (not what you're absorbing)

Common misconception, but back to your particular question....
If the 12mg is killing the craving for a cigarette for you, that would be a good level for you to try. For whatever reason different people like / need different levels and not directly related to the strength or amount smoked. Some need much higher, some much less...ahhh, life's mysteries...

If you like the flavor of your 24mg coconut, you can get a same sized bottle of 0mg coconut, mix the two together and presto 12mg coconut!!

 

[dice57]

Also the better the delivery system, atomizer and build, the better the nic delivery. As I progressed in my vape journey, I have gone from 24 to 18 and am now at 12mg nic level in my juices. Not because I am trying to quit nicotine, but because as i bought better rba's and learned to build better coils, and stated vaping at high watts, I have had to drop my nic level, or walk around stumbling with blurry vision. I smoked camel filters for 27 years. Will probably have to make some lower nic juice for when I am in heavy vape mode. Once you find what works for you, stick with it, but expect it to change as your vaping style and gear changes.

 

[DKP#]

Hi, and welcome.

Vaping nic doesn't absorb as much or as fast as cigarette smoke so you can't really go by that. It also lacks the chemicals to speed absorption that cigarettes have. Go by how you feel. My own subjective experience is that 3mg vaping nic ~= 1 full flavor cigarette.

If 12mg is satisfying and you're happy with the amount of vaping it allows, there's no reason to increase it.
That said, I wouldn't worry too much about becoming more dependent at this point as long as it keeps you off the cigarettes. I had the same concern at first and went back to cigs for a while because of it.
The important thing at this point is to settle into a consistent vaping pattern to remove the stress of having to make judgement calls.
I'd stick with the 12mg in tobacco and coconut to have consistency. Keep some 18mg on hand for security if 12mg just isn't enough in the morning or after meals.

Once you've overcome the psychological hurdle of a different delivery system and are comfortable with it, you can begin a gradual decrease in nicotine. This "comfort zone" or adjustment was my biggest aid in quitting. This is when you vape without it being forefront of your attention and it becomes almost automatic like smoking was. When you reach this point, you are truly free from cigarettes.

Premix lacks mg choices but you can mix 2 different strengths to get whatever strength you want to cut down gradually.
Mixing equal amounts of 12mg and 18mg will give you 15mg. A little math or the right juice calculator and you can get any strength.

Bottom line is that the actual strength you use is not as important as finding a comfort zone. If you want to vape more, lower the nicotine. If you want to vape less, up the nicotine. Doesn't really matter as long as you find a vaping pattern you're comfortable with.

 

[nostinkies]

I was almost the same as you.... about 15 stinkies of marl lights a day. Went full on the vaping with 16mg and it worked. The first few days took a little will power, but a bottle of 18mg tigers blood got me thru the rough patches. Now almost 3 weeks later, I'm fine on 16mg. I would say work a few different flavors to keep things interesting with a couple of devices. I also vape the right side of my mouth in the morning and finish by the end of the night on the left side. I also am trying to drink plenty of water to flush out and stay hydrated. Good luck, patience and some trial and error works. I came across one store that didnt sell 16 but had 18mg. I asked them to mix it for me. They did without any complaints.

 

[Jasmine123]

I was a Marlboro ultra light smoker and my first purchase was for 12 and 18mg. The 12mg did nothing for me. I was good with the 18mg. Many need a higher strength to start. You have to find what will work for you.

 

[Optimo114]

I think it may be different for everyone. I was a pack and a half smoker for 15 years. Marlboro Menthol full strength. When I started vaping I started off at 24mg or so and kept dropping the nicotine because the TH was too much for me. At the end of the day I settled at 12mg because I can actually vape it all day long. Even 18mg gets to me after a few hours and when trying to quit analogs, you don't want any roadblocks that may send you back. Unfortunately it is all up to the individual to find the right juice that works for you

 

[Scarey]

You might want to look at a variable voltage device. On those higher nicotine liquids, you can adjust down your voltage, for less vapor, which means a lower concentration of nicotine in each puff, and less throat hit. From there you can find the setting you like for any given liquid, at any given moment.

 

[Weizenheimer]

I went from 15ish camel lights\day to 18mg juice

 

[Summers_Slayer]

Thanks so much everyone for all the advice and the well wishes

Your replies have really helped!! I didn't think about mixing the amounts and at the mo I have an 18mg and a 12mg Marlboro Red... Iso if I mix equal amounts I'll get 15mg? As that sounds better than the 12mg, but then there is the plus of being able to vape the 12mg a lot, which keeps the cravings away. So many options Lol!

So if the 15mg is a bit harsh, I'll keep the 12mg and 18mg for when the 12mg doesn't cut it!

I've also never heard of a variable voltage device so will look into this too!

Thanks again everyone!
Summers

 

[Sweetab]

I would say 12mg for a start, and you can probably even go to a 6mg after a few weeks. I find 18 to be just too much nic. I got headaches, and jitters from 18!

 

[madqatter]

I went from 15ish camel lights\day to 18mg juice

This is a good illustration of how individual our needs are. You smoked 15 Camel Lights a day and went to 18mg. I smoked 10 Camel Lights a day (only 5 fewer) and cannot tolerate nicotine in double digits-- I vape 6mg to 8mg.

Moral of the story: You need to figure out what's enough to effectively curb your desire for cigarettes without making you feel unwell (headache, nausea, insomnia, feeling burned, etc.). The number will be individual.

 

[Summers_Slayer]

Just wanted to give a wee update

I've been experimenting some more and if i use the 18mg on its own for too long then yip, I get headaches and feel nauseous.

When I am using the 12mg, thats when I'm also smoking so obviously its not strong enough to kill the cravings, but from 15 down to 6 in a few days is still good, but I knew I could do better. So I mixed

Half 12mg and half 18mg is the way for me I believe! Just enough of a kick to feel like I'm getting something, not to much to give me a headache and yesterday I vaped 3.5ml. And... the best bit!! I only had 3 cigarettes yesterday!!

So I think thats my mix... about 15mg and up to 4ml a day, depending on if I have a drink I reckon. Today I've been up for 6 hours. I've vaped 1.5ml and haven't had a cigarette at all! I'm quite stunned but it was funny as last night I had one not because I needed it but because I just wanted it and it tasted like crap compared to vaping Lol!

Will see how this goes. I reckon I'll end up having 1 or 2 today anyway and for the next couple of days as I'm away at the weekend to a party, but if I can keep going the way I am, I'll have this kicked soon! Even just from cutting back I've worked out I've saved £43 so far so going to put it in a coffee jar to keep me motivated.

I've also ordered the 18mg and 12 mg in coconut and cola so I can have mixed strength flavours.

Thanks again everyone and let's keep vaping!!
Summers

 

[Stosh]

You're making great progress!! Once you don't have a smoke for a few days, you'll be amazed how fast they will start tasting so gross, you won't believe you ever smoked...
VAPE ON !!!