What Nicotine Strength Should You Vape? (3mg, 6mg, 12mg, 18mg)
Ensuring you choose the correct nicotine strength for your e-liquid is one of the most important aspects of a successful vaping journey. With many of us being unaware of the nicotine content of the cigarettes we used to smoke, it becomes challenging to know which vape juice nicotine level best meets our needs.
That's why in this blog, we will explore the most common e-liquid nicotine strengths available & how they feel and perform when vaped, as well as providing guidance from our vaping experts on how to match them to your individual needs.
E-Liquid Nicotine Levels Explained
Vaping is intended to provide an alternative method of nicotine consumption to adults with reduced risks vs smoking cigarettes. That is why e-liquids contain nicotine; it is the active ingredient that helps us manage cravings.
'Normal' or freebase 50/50 e-liquids typically come in a range of 3mg, 6mg, 12mg & 18mg nicotine strengths. Nic salt e-liquids are slightly different, offering
The reason e-liquids are available in different strengths is to allow you to choose an option that suits your needs. Heavier smokers will likely have more success choosing a high-strength e-liquid, for example, whereas lighter smokers will have a better vaping journey by starting lower. Tapered nicotine doses also allow a vaper to step down their strength if they want to reduce their overall dependency.
While there is some variation between brands, most normal e-liquids use the same scale as our freebase range here at LiQuid.
Nicotine is measured in mg (milligrams), and is often shown on vape packaging as mg/ml. This means milligram per millilitre. So, if you see a label stating 18mg/ml on a 10ml bottle of vape juice, it means it contains 18mg of nicotine in each millilitre of juice.
Sometimes, brands (particularly disposable vape brands) give their strength in percentages – this can sometimes make them seem a lot lower than they actually are. For example, many disposable vapes say 2% nicotine on them. This doesn’t sound like much, but in reality, this is the same as 20mg/ml – the maximum legal limit for the UK!
In case you find other strengths in percentages, here is a little guide to help translate so you know what you are buying:
0.3% = 3mg
0.6% = 6mg
1.2% = 12mg
1.8% = 18mg
2% = 20mg
E-Liquid Nicotine Strengths Vs Smoking
How Much Nicotine Is In A Cigarette Vs A Vape?
On average, a cigarette contains between 10 and 12 milligrams of nicotine. However, only a fraction of that nicotine is actually absorbed by the smoker, typically between 1 and 2 milligrams, due to losses during the burning process. This means that e-liquids by comparison can contain less nicotine in total than a cigarette, but due to not being burned, deliver more of that nicotine to your body.
The closest e-liquid strength to an individual cigarette in terms of what you actually absorb is 6mg/ml. However heavier former smokers may not find this sufficient when managing powerful cravings caused by regularly smoking multiple cigarettes in a day. In these cases 12mg or 18mg are better options - while stronger than an individual cigarette, they are better able to deliver the increased nicotine needed.
The best rule of thumb is for lighter smokers to choose a lower nicotine strength, while heavier smokers should opt for higher strengths.
How E-Liquid Nicotine Strength Affects Throat Hit
The higher the nicotine strength of an e-liquid, the more intense the throat hit you can expect when vaping, and vice versa. The heat generated when smoking a cigarette has an impact on our throat, and e-liquids replicate this experience at different intensities based on their nicotine concentration.
Some vapers enjoy a throat hit, others do not - this is a subjective preference. Most commonly, however, new vapers find that the throat hit of 50/50 freebase vape juice like our original £1 range adds an element of familiarity to smoking that helps make the transition to vaping a little easier.
Heavier smokers often find that the tandem benefits of a high-strength e-liquid work best for them initially, as the increased nicotine content manages cravings, while effectively replicating the more intense throat hit of regular smoking.
Lighter smokers tend to prefer lower nicotine strength e-liquids, which have a milder throat hit by comparison.
Those who want powerful craving satisfaction without a throat hit, are better off opting for nic salt e-liquids like our Bar Salts range, which are smooth even at high strengths.
Below is our guide to the different e-liquid nicotine strengths which are available to buy online from our original £1 range, and how they correlate to the amount of cigarettes previously smoked in a day, as well as the throat hit they deliver:
3mg/ml E-Liquids
3mg is recommended for those who previously smoked 5 or fewer cigarettes a day.
They have a low-intensity throat hit.
This is our lowest nicotine strength, with the exception of 0mg nicotine free, and it’s very smooth. Ideal for those who don’t get strong cravings, but still want a little something to keep them going.
Along with 6mg, 3mg e-liquids are a very popular strength, especially for high-VG e-liquids, as it is smooth enough to be vaped in high-power sub-ohm devices.
6mg/ml E-Liquids
6mg is recommended for those who previously smoked around 10 cigarettes a day.
They have a medium intensity throat hit.
A great middle ground for many people, and the highest strength you will typically find an HVG e-liquid to be for the same reasons as 3mg.
A balance of smoothness, but with a slight tickle from the low nicotine. While low, those who only had a light smoking habit might consider starting with 6mg e-liquid to avoid taking in more nicotine than they did when smoking. You will always be able to increase to 12mg if it doesn’t satisfy!
12mg/ml E-Liquids
12mg is recommended to those who previously smoked around 15 cigarettes a day.
They have a higher intensity throat hit.
For many people, this will be the best place to start their vaping journey. You have room to move up or down depending on your initial experience – if it’s a little harsh for your tastes, try a 6mg, if it doesn’t beat your cravings, then consider an 18mg.
18mg/ml E-Liquids
18mg is recommended for those who previously smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day.
They have a very high intensity throat hit.
This is the highest strength we offer our 10ml standard e-liquid in. In terms of the amount of nicotine you will inhale and absorb, even the most extreme smoking habits should be well matched with an 18mg e-liquid.
It is worth noting that while some people enjoy this aspect, 18mg vape juice can be quite harsh. No matter the flavour, this higher volume of freebase nicotine hits the throat much like burning a cigarette.
How To Choose The Right Nicotine Strength Vape Juice
As a new vaper, when choosing the best nicotine strength variant for your e-liquid, you will want to keep the following factors in mind:
- The goals for your vaping journey
- Your previous smoking frequency
- Your throat hit tolerance
First and foremost, you should consider what you want to achieve on your vaping journey, your personal goals and reasons for switching to vaping. You may, for example, want to reduce your nicotine dependency by switching to vaping, which might take the form of opting for a lower strength e-liquid or starting higher and tapering down. For some, it's not about lowering intake or stopping consuming altogether, and simply about replacing smoking with a less harmful method of nicotine consumption.
Keep your goals in mind when choosing what strength to vape, and make a decision that gives your journey the biggest chance of success.
Matching E-Liquid Nicotine Strength To Your Usage
When you quit smoking, you'll want to use a vape juice that contains nicotine relevant to the number of cigarettes you'd previously smoked in a day.
Your body will have been used to consuming nicotine and with it being an addictive chemical, if you were to suddenly just stop using nicotine or use a nicotine strength vape juice too low for your needs, you may start slipping into nicotine withdrawal.
Opting for a nicotine strength that does not align with your needs can result in:
- Over-vaping to compensate for having too little nicotine.
- Increasing your dependency on nicotine by having too much.
- Make vaping unappealing either by not managing cravings or making it too harsh.
- Lead to a smoking relapse.
The guide given above in this article will help steer you towards the right products.
Choosing The Right Nicotine Type For Your E-Liquid
The two primary types of nicotine you can choose when vaping are Freebase and Salt nicotine, and they offer very different experiences tailored to different needs.
Freebase nicotine is the most common, and is the type we are focusing on in this article. It offers vapers:
- A wide range of tapered strength options
- Throat hits of varying intensity
- A more like-for-like experience vs smoking
Salt nicotine, used in nic salt vape juice is newer, but becoming very popular, especially as it is the type found in disposable vapes. It offers vapers:
- Little to no throat hit even at high strengths
- A smoother vape focussed more on flavour
- Faster acting and longer lasting craving satisfaction
Which you choose will come down to personal preference, but most new vapers tend to prefer freebase nicotine because of its similarities to smoking.
With this information, you should now have a better idea about which nicotine strength you should be vaping. If not, check out the FAQs at the bottom of this page to answer any other questions you might have - our UK-based customer care team are also on hand to steer you in the right direction should you need them.
Remember, a little experimentation is perfectly normal when first starting out with vaping, and you may need to try a few different nicotine strengths before finding the one that best meets your needs.
Thankfully at only £1 per 10ml bottle, buying your e-liquid from our online vape store allows you the freedom to experiment without breaking the bank, so don't be worried if it takes a few tries before you find your perfect product.
Start Exploring Different Strength E-Liquids Today
E-Liquid Nicotine Strength FAQs
What is the best nicotine strength for vapers quitting smoking?
What is the best nicotine strength for vapers quitting smoking?
New vapers who are quitting smoking sometimes want to choose a nicotine strength that will help with nicotine cravings. The variations of nicotine levels in cigarettes make it difficult to directly compare them to e-liquid strengths. Unfortunately, the right vape juice strength is often dependent on the individual and takes some experimentation to find. There is no one size fits all solution.
Some vapers start with a higher nicotine strength e-liquid to reduce the possibility of experiencing nicotine withdrawal and then gradually decrease the nicotine strength or their e-liquid once vaping has become a long-term switch, which gives them total control over their vaping journey. Others choose to start with sub-ohm devices and lower strength e-liquids of 6 or 3mg. This may make finding the best e-liquid strength seem like a challenge, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and there is a perfect vaping device and e-liquid out there for you.
How can I know if I'm vaping too much nicotine?
How can I know if I'm vaping too much nicotine?
When picking the nicotine strength in your vape juice for the first time, you might not get it right and potentially choose a strength that's too high for you. Don't worry, you're not the first person to do this and you certainly won't be the last that's for sure!
There's some tell tale signs that you may have gone too high on the nicotine strength which are;
- Headaches
- Mild Nausea
- Feeling Dizzy/Light Headed-
- Coughing/Sore Throat
These are all symptoms of your nicotine strength being too high, and if you experience them, you'll want to opt to use a strength slightly lower than you initially picked. If these symptoms persist even with a lower nicotine strength, consult a medical professional immediately and refrain from vaping any further.
Will my vape kit impact nicotine strength?
Will my vape kit impact nicotine strength?
Vaping devices and the amount of vapour they produce can also impact nicotine uptake.
Devices that use high resistance coils take longer to heat up and produce less vapour. This reduces the chances of coughing, but also reduces nicotine delivery.
In contrast, devices with low resistance atomizers, such as sub-ohm vapes, heat up quickly and produce large amounts of vapour. This results in greater nicotine delivery, despite the lower nicotine strengths typical of High VG e-liquids used in sub-ohm devices.
Variable wattage devices allow users to adjust the amount of vapour produced and therefore also vary the level of nicotine delivered.
Being aware of how vaping devices can affect nicotine uptake is helpful when working out the right e-liquid strength to use.
What is nicotine?
What is nicotine?
Nicotine is derived from tobacco plants and is one of the chemicals that are found within tobacco products. It's a highly addictive chemical, and dependency on nicotine can easily be formed once you start ingesting it into your body.
But contrary to popular belief, nicotine is not one of the toxic or harmful chemicals which are commonly found in combustible tobacco products such as cigarettes. A lit cigarette is known to produce over 5000 chemicals, and at least 50 of these chemicals are toxic and carcinogenic to the body. But nicotine is not included under this umbrella, and Cancer Research UK says the following:
"Nicotine is the chemical that makes cigarettes addictive. But it is not responsible for the harmful effects of smoking, and nicotine does not cause cancer. People have safely used nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to stop smoking for many years. Nicotine replacement therapy is prescribed by doctors or is available from pharmacies."
