How to Choose the Right Vape Juice Nicotine Strength

Did you know that nearly 1 out of 20 Americans now vapes While it seems to be a trend for the younger crowd, the truth is, it can be great for people of all ages to pick up, especially if they're looking for a healthier alternative to smoking.

With cigarettes, you don't really get to choose how much nicotine is in them. However, with vaping, you have options.

Although it can be difficult to find the right strength, it'll be worth it when you know the perfect one for you. If you're wondering what the right nicotine strength is for your vape, read on!

Types of Nicotine Strengths

First, you should decide what vape you want to get. Once you've learned the parts of your new vape and know how to work it, the next thing you need to figure out is what nicotine level vape juice you should get.

Below are the two types of nicotine strengths: mg/ml and percentages. Keep reading to find out more about each one.

Mg/ML

This is the more popular type of nicotine strength you'll see. The nicotine levels for mg/mL can range all the way from 0 to 18 mg/mL. However, you can find nicotine strengths as high as 36 mg/mL with some brands or flavors.

If you smoke unfiltered cigarettes or are a heavy smoker, a good range for you to try is anywhere between 12 to 18 mg/mL. For regular smokers, 6 to 12 mg/mL is what you should try.

However, if you smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, you'll want to go with 3 to 6 mg/mL. And if you don't smoke cigarettes at all, you'll want to start small with 0 to 3 mg/mL.

There's also something called nic salts; its levels can go all the way up to 60 mg/mL. This is because the nic salts use benzoic acid to lessen the harshness of "throat hit." You usually use them with pod systems.

Percentages

Although mg/mL is the preferred way for manufacturers to list their nicotine strength, you'll also see percentages used at times. This one's easier to figure out, since the percentage listed indicates how much of the liquid is nicotine.

For instance, if an e-juice says 1.2% nicotine, that means 98.8% of it is everything else (PG, NV, and the flavoring). 

Converting

To make it easier for you to compare different e-juices, you should learn how to convert from mg/mL to percentages, and vice versa.

If you're going from mg/mL to percentages, just divide the number by 10. For example, a 16 mg/mL e-juice is 1.6%.

For the other way around (percentages to mg/mL), multiply it by 10. So a 1.2% nicotine e-juice would be 12 mg/mL.

Things to Consider

Now that you know a bit more about the measurement of nicotine strength in e-juices, there are some things you need to consider when it comes to choosing your exact vaping juice. We will go through some main ones below.

Frequency of Usage

Are you going to be someone who vapes all throughout the day? Or are you planning on only vaping once or twice daily, and that's it?

Your answer will heavily affect the nicotine strength that you get. For instance, if you only want to vape once a day, you might want to get a higher nicotine level so you can get the nicotine hit you need all at once.

But if you're planning on vaping at different times in the day, we recommend you choose a lower nicotine strength. That way, you're not inhaling a bunch of nicotine. Instead, you'll get the amount you need but it will be spread out throughout the day.

Do note that you shouldn't get the highest nicotine level possible, even if you're only vaping once a day. Getting too much nicotine all at once can cause some unpleasant side effects, like a stomachache, quick heartbeat, higher blood pressure, and dizziness. All of the above are signs of nicotine poisoning.

Importance of Flavor and Taste

The higher the nicotine level, the harsher the e-juice can be. The throat hit might also be stronger. If you're vaping for the flavor and don't need much nicotine or don't really care for it, you should go with e-juices that have little to no nicotine in them.

If, on the other hand, you're looking to appease your nicotine cravings and don't mind harsher hits, you can go with higher nicotine levels when you select your e-juices.

If You're a Cigarette Smoker

If you're looking to trade in your cigarette habit for a healthier one, you'll want to try and match the nicotine levels you were getting before. But just because you were a heavy smoker doesn't necessarily mean you'll prefer a higher nicotine strength.

The other two factors in this section can affect the level of nicotine that you find optimal for you. But in general, former smokers prefer higher nicotine strengths than people who rarely or never smoked. Their tolerance will be higher, which means if you are a non-smoker, you'll be more sensitive to whatever level you start with.

Bottom Line: Experiment to Find the Right Nicotine Strength

You may have estimated the nicotine level in the cigarettes you used to smoke and found e-juice that matches it. But that doesn't necessarily mean it'll be the right nicotine strength for you.

Instead, use it as a starting point, along with the tips we've given you above. With a little bit of trial and error, you'll be able to find the right strength of nicotine that'll satisfy your cravings.

Want to get some e-juice for your vape? Then take a look at our selection!