How do you choose the right vape juice nicotine level? Well, that can be a multi-layered question. The answer depends on how you vape and what type of e-liquid you are using. To find the right e-cig nicotine level, it may take a little bit of trial and error as well. At the very least, we would like to give to a starting point to work with. Let’s start with VG e-juice used with atomizers with less than 1.0 ohms of resistance.
There are three standard e-liquid nicotine levels for VG vape juices. Those three are:
- 0 mg - zero nicotine
- 3 mg - light to moderate nicotine hit
- 6 mg - stronger nicotine hit
If you are wondering why these nicotine levels seem low, it is because of the sheer amount of vapor that is produced by cloud making VG juice. Especially Freeman Vape Juice! Because you will be inhaling so much vapor, you will not need much nicotine to hit the spot. That said, some VG e-liquids offer a 1.5 mg nicotine level and as high as 12 mg. Generally, 3 mg is the most popular with 6 mg being enough to satisfy those who want more nicotine hit.
Choosing The Nicotine For VG E-Liquids
VG e-liquids come in four different blends.
- 60% VG and 40% PG
- 70% VG and 30% PG
- 80% VG and 20% PG
- Max VG
It is the VG that makes more vapor and is a more gentle vapor than you get from a PG vapor. On the flip side, PG is a better carrier of flavor. So the higher you go in VG the more vapor you get, but then you have to sacrifice the e-liquid flavor sensation. Taking a brief second to boast, at Freeman our team has developed 80/20 e-juice recipes that produce clouds of vapor yet remain a strong flavor profile. It takes a lot of work, time, trial, and effort to pull that off but we approach vape juice as a passion deserving the patience to do it right. That’s what makes us Freeman.
So, back to choosing the right nicotine level for a VG juice. If you don’t want nicotine, obviously the 0 nicotine option is the right choice. In addition, if you are going in a cloud competition, you might want to go with a zero nic option because you will be inhaling more vapor than usual during the contest.
If you are looking for a light to moderate nicotine hit, then the 3 mg nicotine level will hit the spot. If you like a stronger nicotine hit, then a 6 mg option is probably going to be your best bet.
How You Vape Makes A Difference In Nicotine Intake
Most sub ohm vapers will settle in vaping at 50 watts to 75 watts. That is a practical setting for every day vaping. As a result, the recommendation of 3 mg for light to moderate nicotine and 6 mg for a stronger hit stands. Those recommendations apply to the majority. But, with more and more powerful devices becoming more common, the amount of vapor being produced is on the upswing!
- NOTE: Freeman 80/20 VG Vape Juice is a sweet spot for flavor and vapor. Our 120 ml e-juice bottles and BOGO deals are the best values in vaping.
If you are vaping at 100 watts or more, 3 mg of nicotine is probably all that you will ever need. In fact, 1.5 mg might be a fit. The additional vapor produced will increase the intake. This is not a hard and fast rule as personal preference is always the deciding factor.
Nicotine Levels In PG E-Liquids
To understand more about choosing the right nicotine level, it is best to have an understanding of what is vape juice or e-liquid? There are different types of vape juice for different styles of vaping. PG e-liquids are designed to be used with basic electronic cigarettes or vape mods with atomizer resistances above 1.0 ohms. PG liquids do not produce as much vapor but can deliver a stronger throat hit. And because there is not as much vapor, the nicotine levels used tend to be higher than for VG vape juice.
- NOTE: A PG e-liquid is one that is at least 50% PG. 70% Pg and 30% VG is also a common PG e-juice.
Here are the most common nicotine levels offered for PG e-liquids:
- 0 mg - no nicotine vaping
- 3 mg - very mild nicotin
- 6 mg - mild nicotine hit
- 12 mg - moderate nicotine use
- 18 mg - for a stronger nicotine hit
- 24 mg or higher - a bold and more intense vape
How Much Nicotine Should I Vape In A PG E-Juice?
Basic e-cigs with PG e-liquids are a common choice for new vapers. How much nicotine you need will relate to how much nicotine you are used to taking in as an adult tobacco consumer. If you nicotine use is on the heavy side of the equation, it would be wise to choose a higher e-liquid nicotine level. That correlation works its way down the scale to where a casual tobacco user will be best served by a mild nicotine level.
There is no hard and fast formula for choosing a nicotine level for vaping. If you have an understanding of what the high end is vs the low end, you can probably determine where you fit on the scale. If at first the nicotine level you choose is not satisfying you, then you will need to increase. Conversely, if you find it harsh, you will need to cut back on the nic.
In addition, over time you may find that you will want to reduce the vape juice nicotine level. You will develop a sense for what works and what doesn’t. For starters, however, make your best decision based on where you think you fit on the scale.
- TIP: Remember, the type of mod you use and how much vapor it produces is a factor in choosing the right amount of nicotine for vaping.
Changing Vape Juice
When you are changing vape juice, make sure to wash your hands if you get any e-liquid on your skin. Nicotine can be absorbed through the skin.
Nicotine Salts
In a nutshell, nicotine salts are a type of nicotine that can be ingested more smoothly than nicotine extracted from tobacco. As a result, you can inhale more nicotine without the harshness. You do have to be careful because the nicotine will go down very smooth and it will be easy to take in a lot! Kind of like those umbrella cocktails where you don’t taste the alcohol.
Vapor products that use nicotine salts come in very high nicotine levels. For example, a 50 mg nicotine level is not uncommon in PG e-liquids using nic salts. That is as high as you will ever want to go with your nicotine when vaping.
Nicotine Levels In Cigarettes
For an adult tobacco consumer trying to determine the right e-cig nicotine level, understanding the nicotine levels in cigarettes might be a good place to start. And here is the answer, the average cigarette has about 12 mg of nicotine. So how much of that nicotine do you absorb? Studies show that you absorb in the range of 1 mg of nicotine per cigarette smoked. Now, scientists tell us this 1 mg absorption is not impacted by whether or not you smoke unfiltered, lights, or what have you.
For both vaping and smoking, it has been found that the user will adapt his or her methods to get the desired level of nicotine. Dr. Konstatin Farasolinos has completed some excellent research showing that if the user has a product with less nicotine, they may tend to subconsciously have longer pulls and more frequent puffs to compensate.
As a result, we can say that choosing the right nicotine level is important, and you may want to monitor how you vape to help determine if your nic level is hitting the spot. In the end, your enjoyment level will be the ultimate decider!
Highest Nicotine Vape Juice
The highest nicotine vape juice that we have seen is a 6 mg nicotine salt juice. Who would veer need a 6 mg level? No one that we can think of! That is an incredibly high nic level. Why would you want more nic than necessary. You don’t! Don’t go for a gimmicky product just because it has higher nic.
A 5 mg nic salt vape has plenty of punch and is as high as you would need to go. In a regular PG e-liquid, we have seen some companies offer a 36 mg nicotine level and that is very strong. The 24 mg level is typically as bold as most people need. In VG vape juices, 6 mg is plenty. Choosing the right nicotine level for vaping is about relativity. By knowing your personal use and comparing that to the range of options, you can get a good idea where to start. The top vape juice companies provide the options that cater to a range of adult tobacco consumers.
Is The Nicotine Level In My Vape Juice Accurate?
When you buy a vape juice that claims a particular nicotine level on the label you should be aware that it might not be accurate. A few years ago, a vape study in Utah found that more than 60% of e-juice products tested did not have the correct amount of nicotine. This is probably because the e-liquids that they tested were made by amateur or DIY juice makers.
Making e-liquid requires professionals operating in a proper lab facility. The industry standard is that ingredients and amount of nicotine in e-liquid should be accurate to within plus of minus 5% of what is labeled. At Freeman, we do not consider that to be good enough. When you want to know what is in vape juice, you should be able to trust the label.
The standard that we have achieved at Freeman Vape Juice is that our ingredients and vape juice nicotine levels are accurate to within plus or minus 0.5%. We exceed the industry standard by orders of magnitude. You can trust that the amount of nicotine in our vape juice is what we say it is. And that counts for a lot.
Conclusion
There is no e-liquid nicotine calculator or foolproof formula for choosing the right nicotine level. But that is ok because if you understand the range of vape juice nicotine levels as compared to your typical tobacco usage, then you will have a pretty good idea of where you will be on the scale.
What we wanted to do above all was provide you an understanding of different nic levels in different types of juices. In addition, we wanted you to be aware that quality matters. Choose an e-liquid company that knows what they are doing. At Freeman, our ingredients are accurate and we far exceed industry standards for accuracy. And while you are here, don’t forget to check out Freeman Vape Juice! Amazing vapor and flavor await you!
