This is going to be my thoughts, no “real” facts cited.
So as we have heard cigarettes where prescribed long ago to help with anxiety and weight management, among other things. Fast foward to now, we have found out that inhaling tobacco is VERY bad for our health. We have SOME, not much information on just nicotine, but most of it is associated with snuff and cigarettes, and we know that the bad will out weigh the good.
So, plenty of us have decided to quit smoking (yahoo!) and have made the switch to vaping. Thing is we still want that nicotine!
I have read posts that say that e-cigs are not addictive… IMO ANYTHING can become addictive. E-cigs are not 100% healthy, they are harm reduction. Also keep in mind we rarely breathe in 100% clean healthy air, at least now the air (ermmm vapor) is now cake or other yummo flavors! Granted I would rather be “addicted” to water than over eating…..
When most of us started vaping, we tried to compare the amount of nicotine in the juice to how many packs of cigarettes we smoked per day. Thing is, we probably do not even need 1/2 of that nicotine! The reason I say this is because the first bottle that I bought was 24mg, i figured I smoked a pack a day…. I took 5 puffs and my heart started to race and i felt funny… I have since decided 6 or 12 mg is good for me.
My best “nicotine studies” have been conducted at work. I work 12 hour shifts at a factory, and i get 3 15 minute breaks, so I have to use them wisely. I found out that when I switched from 18 mg to 6 mg I get VERY irritable, but it does not last long. I also found out if you go from 12mg up to 24mg things get crazy, for me i felt “funny” all in all not pleasurable. So, whatever level you are at, step it up or down notches, making a huge change IS a big deal to most… The results may not be dire, but at the very least not fun.
My biggest reason for writing this blog was work today. When I was a smoker, during breaks I would smoke 2 cigarettes and maybe eat (crazy that we put smoking in front of food!) Now I take a couple toots in the bathroom after I eat. I have been trying to lower my nicotine, and have been vaping 6mg at work without becoming irritable… thing is I have been a bit sluggish, was sure why until I brought a 12mg flavor today, and zing zing there was the missing link! All in all I felt more functional….
So what I am trying to say, is that nicotine has many different properties, some are almost needed, most are just a comfort.
So, if you are a new vapor on ECA, ask around for what juice might go with what you want, buy a sampler if the company has one (most do) and get different nicotine levels, you do not want to be stuck with too high and be amped, or too low and have nicotine withdrawals. We want you to stay of cigarettes and be happy.
So, what are your findings with switching the mg levels? Or have you switched your levels?
I am the same, I get pissy when I vape lower juices. I been doing that lately when I try new stores!
Great question. When I first started it was at 24 mg. I didn’t have the craving for cigs like I thought I would but the taste…ugh. That peppery singed yuck. So I lowered to 18 mg. Then I found myself vaping like a crazed lunatic (I work from home so I can vape constantly) or smoking the occasional cig. I stayed with the 18 mg just cuz I can’t do nasty taste but about a week ago I did order another 24 mg to try it again in a different flavor. Since I’m a big peppermint or cream juice kinda gal I’m hoping the higher level in the new juice won’t be so noticeable as the last time I tried.
great post i had the same problem, i uped mg’s and found what was right for me
I’m still a smoker 🙁 Boooo, but my husband vapes and I’m trying to get excited about making the switch. I think you are right though, that the nic doesn’t need to be so high, because some of his are just too much for me. I was also wondering if anyone knew exactly what about ecigs is bad for you? I know that putting any chemical into your body is likely not good for it, but I just wondered what the affects of actual nicotine are.
Great post. I don’t think nicotine is harmful in my opinion from research I have done. I stand behind the fact that lungs are meant for air and that’s it. Just air, not smoke or vapor. But yeah I am at 12mg and 18mg rite now. it’s perfect for me.
I never vaped higher than 18mg when I started and very quickly dropped to 12mg. This, after being a pack and a half to two pack a day smoker. I agree, a lot of us really need less nic than we are actually ingesting.
I started with 16 cuz that’s what I heard Newport had. Now I don’t know that is true, but it was just enough for me. Now I use 12mg. Maybe I’ll go down to 8, maybe I’ll never cut it out completely. Right now I just don’t know, but I’m not smoking, so that’s good.
Gretchen, there are a couple of things in some juices that aren’t good for you, some flavorings…
none of them are THAT bad compared to smoking though
24 fo me
I started at 20 I am down to single digits and I personally I do believe that e cigs are addicting whether it is psychological or chemical it is and my back acct would agree.
im not gettin points
Great article !!! That being said …I love the stuff 🙂
oh , 12 mg here…..always has been…
Great post Tiff! You make some very good points.
Nic is the addictive part of analog cigs and e-cigs. Some studies have shown it to cause birth defects.
There’s really not that much factual info about it…
well put
Great post.
Awesome post! You need to do crank these out more regularly. 🙂
me… regualr? i think i need more fiber… or something lol
I’m in the process of switching down nic levels.. I started with 1 bottle of 24, and quickly went to 18. I was happy at 18 for awhile, then switched in a few months to 12. I’ve been at 12 for 3-4 months, and once I deplete all my juice collection, I will switch to 6. Although I plan on using 12 at work, where I can only sneak a couple of puffs here and there.
Then I will hopefully be able to hit 0mg all day.
Interesting post
I started at 18mg and have been very comfortable at 12mg for over a year but now that I am using a genesis style atomizer I think it’s time to lower my nic level.
I started at 24, then worked my way down. I’m mostly 12, but will still grab an occasional 18….
eye yi yi
I usually so 18, 12 when I have one of those ‘can’t put down’ vapes
so happy that my mother is trying to go from 24 mg down to 18 🙂 i just don’t think she needs that much nicotine…
i keep at 24 -36 24 is a red and 36 is un filtered…..anything else and i get cranky
down to 12 from 24 in the 6 months I have have been smoke free
One good thing about DIY juice is if you want to go down slowly you can. 6mg is a huge drop. Going for 24mg to 18mg is a big difference. It would be nice if there were in between mg levels. I started at 24mg but vape mostly 18mg now. I would like to go down even further but 12mg is just so low