Vaping has gained global accolade as a viable alternative to cigarette smoking. It can be helpful for people who wish to quit smoking without completely bidding adieu to the taste of nicotine. But while smokers maintain a proper cigarette count, it might be difficult to gauge your daily intake when you are vaping as a pastime or just for fun. Vapers inhale the vapor produced by the electronic smoking devices from a liquid vape juice containing nicotine and flavoring. Almost all vapers are plagued by the same question as to how many puffs per day are normal for vaping. Knowing about the safe limit of puffs is necessary if you are concerned about your nicotine consumption.
Comparison between traditional smoking & vaping
If you are trying to stop smoking traditional cigarettes, then vaping can be the best way out. Tobacco cigarettes contain toxic chemicals such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar. This is why ex-cigarette smokers prefer vaping as it is convenient and you get to control the amount of vaping nicotine level. Though e-cigs aren’t completely devoid of risks and other harmful chemicals, it is better than smoking cigarettes. This is why most smokers prefer using vapes compared to quitting cold turkey.
Vaping mechanism
Nicotine from tobacco is heated and mixed with other chemicals and flavors to create vapor that is inhaled while vaping. It is advisable to take slow but long drags while vaping rather than multiple short drags which can help you make the most of the vaping experience. Your chances of taking in excess vape juice are also reduced by taking longer drags. Following a vaping session, it is advisable to allow a few minutes of resting time before engaging in another session so that the heating element in your device has adequate time to cool down. Vapers often complain of pain caused by a sore throat but this will lessen by taking longer drags.
While just a few puffs of your regular cigarette can deliver an adequate level of nicotine, the pressure of wanting to meet social standards often causes smokers to finish an entire stick. Sometimes smokers wish to get the full value of the money spent and end up with excess chemical intake that can be unhealthy for their lungs. There is no such pressure with vaping as you get to inhale at your preferred pace.
The nicotine level in E-liquid
Your desired nicotine level is the deciding factor when buying an e-liquid. You might be confused about the right level of nicotine that you should consume. There is a varying nicotine level ranging from 0%, 0-3%, 3-5% to over 5.0% for every milliliter of e-liquid. While 0% means ‘no nicotine’ and is meant for first-timers, 0-3% can be commonly found in commercial e-liquids for light nicotine consumers. Heavy smokers who are trying to bring down their current intake can benefit most from the 3-5% options. Both 5% and above is meant for strong smokers and if you burn a pack of cigarette daily, then you fall into this category of heavy smokers. Your chosen nicotine level shall be determined by whether you are a light, medium, or heavy smoker. If you are planning on quitting, then you will have to work your way from heavy to light until you can quit fully. Nicotine is an addictive substance that needs to be gradually reduced over time before you can quit. Though the nicotine level in cigarettes isn’t universal, it is approximately around 14mg.
Calculating the nicotine level per puff
The nicotine intake per puff while vaping is dependent on the amount of nicotine in your e-liquid and the length of your drags. If you take a 3-second drag of 2.5% nicotine, then your nicotine consumption will be higher than someone taking a 3-second drag of a 0.5% nicotine concentrate. To gauge your total nicotine consumption, you need to divide the total number of puffs in the juice pack by the total amount of nicotine. Thus, if your e-liquid is 3.0%, then this denotes that 30mg of e-liquid is present in every 1 mL. The product packaging reveals the number of puffs you are likely to get from the vape pen. For example, if there are 300 puffs for 1 mL of e-liquid, then the amount of nicotine per puff is 30/300 or 0.1mg. However, this method is a scientific one for calculating your nicotine level and also doesn’t factor in the time length of your drags. The nicotine level varies according to your chosen vape e-liquid. It is important to note that the nicotine amount in every vape juice isn’t the same and sometimes the level of nicotine might be dominated by the flavorings.
Factors affecting the nicotine level
- Flavor – A e-liquid with a higher nicotine level has a harsher taste compared to one with a low level of nicotine. While intense smokers can start with a higher nicotine level, an e-liquid with a low nicotine count is preferable for newbies.
- Usage – If you vape frugally, then a high level of nicotine is okay. But for long vape sessions, a low nicotine level can serve you best.
- Throat hit – This phenomenon describes the effect of nicotine vapor on the throat. You can expect a smooth and satisfying feel with vapor having a low concentration whereas a higher concentration delivers a harsher feel on the throat.
- Smoking equivalency – If you have been a smoker, then your nicotine cravings won’t be quenched until your vaping e-liquid contains a particular nicotine level. However, your aim here should be to reduce your nicotine concentration over time if you wish to quit smoking gradually.
How many puffs are considered normal?
This can be a tricky question to answer as you need to consider other factors such as your biological identity and way of life. However, you should try to reduce the concentration of nicotine intake gradually if you are planning on stopping smoking altogether. How much you puff daily will be determined by your addiction level. If you can get adequate nicotine in your system, then you won’t reach for a cigarette again. It is advisable to completely avoid cigarettes while vaping as this will simply hinder your process of quitting cigarettes while making you vulnerable to other risks.
E-cigarettes are self-regulating and you can get to puff just the right amount provided you don’t make changes to the amount recommended by manufacturers. The average number of puffs per day is between 132-140 and if you are puffing more than that then it’s time for you to slow down. Given the variety of e-cigs and vape juices, it can be difficult to determine the safe number of puffs daily. There is no exact science behind nicotine intake and most vape users try to enjoy a better vaping experience and satisfy their nicotine cravings rather than being conscious of the nicotine intake per puff.
According to a study, 85% of vapers take around 140 puffs per day whereas the remaining 15% take more than 300 puffs daily. If you are new to vaping, then you should limit your daily intake to 60 to 80 puffs per day. Taking excessive puffs from the onset can cause adverse effects like sore throat, dizziness, and nausea.
Conclusion
A lot of people take up vaping as a hobby as it is supposed to be fun. However, you might end up taking too many puffs if you aren’t very careful. This can lead to addiction and expose you to detrimental side effects. If your main motive is to ward off cigarette addiction, then you should take just as many puffs that can satisfy your nicotine craving.
