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<<<Chapter 2: Choosing A Vaping Device Chapter 4: How to Vape >>><\/a><\/p>\n Quick Links to sections in this Chapter:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Once you have your vaping device (including the coil), you need to choose your e-liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n Even though one of the great things about vaping is the experience (and the range of amazing flavours you can choose from), in practical terms it\u2019s an alternative to smoking and it needs to replace your habit.\u00a0 To do that, it has to satisfy your cravings like any other nicotine replacement therapy.<\/span><\/p>\n This section is a clear guide which will help you understand how nicotine levels work in vaporisers and will help you choose the right strength for you.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve already decided what strength you want and are ready to mix it, go to Calculating your nicotine level<\/a><\/span> to get step-by-step instructions.\u00a0 It\u2019ll show you how to mix your e-liquid and take you to our <\/span>E-Liquid Nicotine Calculator<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, if you\u2019re not vaping to replace a smoking habit, then we highly recommend you don\u2019t start adding nicotine.\u00a0 Go straight to Storing your e-liquids<\/a><\/span> to learn about keeping your e-juice safe.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The amount of nicotine in an e-liquid is usually written as a number of milligrams (mg).\u00a0 The most common in the UK are 3mg, 6mg, 12mg and 18mg \u2013 if you are making your own vape juice and using a nic shot, it is really easy to calculate how much to add.<\/span><\/p>\n What often confuses people is the fact that this not the total number of mg in the bottle but the number of mg (milligrams) of nicotine in <\/span>each<\/b> ml (millilitre) of liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n It can sometimes be seen written as mg\/ml (e.g. 3mg\/ml).<\/span><\/p>\n If the bottle is bigger, the strength of the liquid remains the same, only you have a larger quantity of it.<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes the strength is expressed as a percentage (although this is getting less common).\u00a0 This tells you what percentage of the liquid is nicotine.<\/span><\/p>\n Instead of 3mg, you will see 0.3%<\/span><\/p>\n Instead of 6mg, you will see 0.6%<\/span><\/p>\n Instead of 12mg, you will see 1.2%<\/span><\/p>\n It comes in a solution of PG and\/or VG.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In Britain and the EU, the size and strength of nicotine liquids you can buy is restricted.\u00a0 It is now not available in Britain and the EU in bottles larger than 10ml, or in a strength higher than 20mg.<\/span><\/p>\n With DIY vaping, you can decide exactly how much goes into your e-juice.<\/span><\/p>\n You can choose not to add any at all.<\/span><\/p>\n The most common strengths are 3mg, 6mg and 12mg.<\/span><\/p>\n The calculations for these levels are easy and are explained in Calculating your nicotine level<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0 This is the reason that (in Britain and the EU), it is most commonly sold at 18mg strength.<\/span><\/p>\n There is no standard amount of nicotine in a cigarette.\u00a0 It can range from 4mg-14mg.<\/span><\/p>\n How much you get from smoking depends on:<\/span><\/p>\n The advantage with vaping is that you can control your nic strength rather than take a pre-packaged amount in a cigarette.<\/span><\/p>\n It is hugely variable, but broadly speaking 3mg is ideal for people who smoked fewer than ten cigarettes a day.\u00a0 People who smoke more than ten cigarettes a day will either want to increase their nic strength to 6mg or 12mg, or vape for longer or more often.\u00a0 Long-term vapers like these often cut their nic strength down over time until they reach 3mg.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Like caffeine, nicotine is a mild stimulant in the quantities found in e-liquid.\u00a0 It is the primary addictive substance in cigarettes but does not cause the harm associated with smoking (it is the plant and toxic smoke which causes the damage).<\/span><\/p>\n When making DIY e-liquid, obviously people want to know they\u2019re mixing a safe strength.\u00a0 In extremely high concentrations, nicotine can be lethal but this is in concentrations much, much higher than that of the nic shots available for e-liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to get this right.<\/span><\/p>\n Getting it right will help you feel satisfied so you can quit smoking for good and will mean you enjoy your vaping experience.<\/span><\/p>\n All of the following are suggestions based on experience but can be adapted according to your own personal preference.\u00a0 Feel free to adjust and experiment.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s generally recommended to start with a lower nicotine level and increase the strength if you need to as this is safer and easier.\u00a0 Although vaping mimics the sensation of smoking, it is different and the amount of nicotine you inhale is different. Even heavy smokers often find they don\u2019t need a high strength in their vape.<\/span><\/p>\n To work out what strength you should vape, you need to consider several things:<\/span><\/p>\n To make the switch from smoking to vaping, your nicotine intake from vaping should match what your nicotine intake was from smoking, at least initially.\u00a0 This ensures that you do not get withdrawal symptoms as you will feel satisfied by your vape and encouraged to continue with this alternative. Once you have completely made the switch, you can start to slowly lower your intake.<\/span><\/p>\n Vaping tends to give you a slower nicotine hit than smoking, and is one of the reasons that vapers tend to vape small amounts regularly throughout the day.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re starting to vape purely for leisure then we recommend vaping 0mg as nicotine is addictive.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re using vaping as a way to quit smoking, you need to decide whether you want to maintain the amount of nicotine you\u2019re inhaling or whether you want to gradually decrease it.<\/span><\/p>\n This is one of the ways in which nicotine affects your overall vaping experience.<\/span><\/p>\n The exact dose of nicotine you get from vaping varies depending on the device, how long the session lasts, the nicotine strength and how you inhale.\u00a0 It can even vary according to the time of day and your mood as they affect these factors.<\/span><\/p>\n Vaping small amounts regularly throughout the day satisfies your nicotine cravings and is extremely convenient.\u00a0 It can mean that a low-nicotine strength will satisfy.<\/span><\/p>\n Your vaping habits might stem from your smoking habits, but they don\u2019t need to.\u00a0 For example, you can often vape indoors, which will make your relationship with your e-cigarettes different from your relationship with cigarettes.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the advantages and disadvantages of vapes is that there is no \u2018end of cigarette\u2019, which means you simply stop when you are satisfied and take no more and no less.\u00a0 However, that can make judging the amount of nicotine inhaled in one session virtually impossible, as even with the same person it can vary each time.<\/span><\/p>\n With a sub-ohm device, you produce more vapour, meaning more nicotine is then absorbed into the bloodstream.\u00a0 If using this device, you might want to reduce your nic strength as you inhale more vapour and therefore might get more nicotine than you intended.<\/span><\/p>\n A device designed for mouth-to-lung vaping generally produces less vapour and therefore you might choose to use more nicotine.<\/span><\/p>\n Nicotine liquid has a distinct taste and will flavour vape juice.\u00a0 Whether you like this taste or not is a matter of preference. Higher concentrations have a stronger flavour.<\/span><\/p>\n Whether you like the harsh throat hit associated with smoking cigarettes is a matter of preference but this is unlikely to be affected by your nic strength.\u00a0 Your PG\/VG ratio plays a much bigger part in this as higher percentages of PG give a stronger throat hit.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Next steps<\/b><\/p>\n Once you have decided what nicotine level you want to vape, see \u2018Calculating your nicotine level\u2019<\/span> below to get a practical guide to mixing that strength e-liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Once you have decided what strength e-liquid you want to make, you need to work out how much to add to your base liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n This guide provides you with all of the information you need to safely work out the nicotine levels in your vape liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n Read on if you:<\/span><\/p>\n We are assuming in this piece that you are using \u2018nic shots\u2019, which are 10ml bottles of 18mg-strength nicotine.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not sure what the numbers mean, or you want to work out which strength will be best for you, go back to Choosing your nicotine level<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n 3mg\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This refers to the strength of the liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n 3mg actually means 3mg of nicotine per ml of liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n In a 10ml bottle, there are 10mls of liquid, each with 3mg of nicotine in.\u00a0 So in a 10ml bottle there are 3mg x 10ml = 30mg of nicotine in total.<\/span><\/p>\n (mg x ml = total nicotine in the bottle)<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Below are clear instructions for making 3mg-strength and 6mg-strength e-liquid as these are the most common.<\/span><\/p>\n However, if you want to mix your own e-juice in a different quantity, that is fine \u2013 our <\/span>E-Liquid Nicotine Calculator<\/span><\/a> will tell you exactly how much to safely use for the strength you want.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to use and you have to simply follow the steps to add in the details of the vape juice you want (what strength you want, what percentage PG\/VG base you have and what quantity you want to make).<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n You will need to add your own nicotine if you are using shortfills or making your own DIY vape juice.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to find out how to make a 3mg or 6mg strength vape juice, the calculations are done for you below.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n To make a 3mg e-juice, mix 1 part nicotine to 5 parts flavoured base (your PG, VG and flavour concentrates).<\/span><\/p>\n That means you divide the volume of the base e-liquid by 5, then add that much of the 18mg liquid.\u00a0 For each 50ml of nicotine-free e-liquid, you add 1 nic shot (which is 10ml).<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 100ml (at 3mg strength)<\/b><\/p>\n 100ml base + 20ml nicotine = 120ml of 3mg e-liquid<\/span><\/p>\n 50ml (at 3mg strength)<\/b><\/p>\n 50ml base + 10ml nicotine = 60ml of 3mg e-liquid<\/span><\/p>\n 10ml (at 3mg strength)<\/b><\/p>\n 10ml base + 2ml nicotine = 12ml of 3mg e-liquid<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n To make a 6mg e-juice, mix 1 part nicotine to 2 parts flavoured base (your PG, VG and flavour concentrates).<\/span><\/p>\n That means you divide the volume of the base e-liquid by 2, then add that much of the 18mg liquid.\u00a0 You add 2 nic shots (which is a total of 20ml) to every 40ml of nicotine-free e-liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 80ml (at 6mg strength)<\/b><\/p>\n 80ml base + 40ml nicotine = 120ml of 6mg e-liquid<\/span><\/p>\n 40ml (at 6mg strength)<\/b><\/p>\n 40ml base + 20ml nicotine = 60ml of 6mg e-liquid<\/span><\/p>\n 8ml (at 6mg strength)<\/b><\/p>\n 8ml base + 4ml nicotine = 12ml of 6ml e-liquid<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s always better to be sure you\u2019re safe when you\u2019re using any nicotine products.\u00a0 If you\u2019re not sure whether you\u2019ve made the right calculations, then we recommend getting somebody else to check them.<\/span><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve done it a few times, it becomes second nature and you\u2019ll wonder why you ever thought it complicated but, until then, take your time and make sure you\u2019ve got it right.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019d like any advice regarding this, then please feel free to contact us \u2013 we\u2019re happy to help.<\/span><\/p>\n Email us at <\/span>support@makemyvape.co.uk<\/span><\/a> with any queries or give us a ring on 01707 566056<\/a>.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be more than happy to talk you through the process.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Next steps<\/b><\/p>\n In order to get your nicotine level right, you need to decide what strength you want and calculate how much to add to the vape juice you have.\u00a0 If you want another option, check out \u2018Nicotine Salts\u2019<\/span> below as they are an alternative to the common nic shots.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nChoosing your nicotine level<\/h2>\n
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<\/span><\/p>\nHow nicotine levels work<\/b><\/h3>\n
What the numbers mean<\/h4>\n
<\/span><\/p>\nWhat strengths are available<\/h4>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0How much nicotine in a vape compared to cigarettes<\/h4>\n
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<\/span><\/p>\nThe effects of nicotine<\/b><\/h3>\n
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<\/span><\/p>\nChoosing the right nicotine strength<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\u00a0Satisfying your nicotine cravings<\/h4>\n
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<\/span><\/p>\nYour vaping goals<\/h4>\n
Vaping habits \u2013 frequency and length of sessions<\/h4>\n
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<\/span><\/p>\nType of device you\u2019re planning to use<\/h4>\n
<\/span><\/p>\nYour taste preferences<\/h4>\n
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<\/span><\/p>\nCalculating your nicotine level<\/h2>\n
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What the numbers mean<\/b><\/h3>\n
E-Liquid Nicotine Calculators<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Mixing 3mg or 6mg nicotine strength<\/b><\/h3>\n
Making 3mg e-liquid<\/span><\/h4>\n
Making 6mg e-liquid<\/span><\/h4>\n
Safety<\/b><\/h3>\n
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