If you look for vape hardware, whether they are refillable box mods, disposable bars or pod-based vapes, one of the most important aspects to bear in mind and one that will be clearly labelled is the level of nicotine in the vape itself.
For smokers, nicotine and its highly addictive qualities is the biggest barrier keeping them from quitting smoking for good, so the most effective way to help people to stop smoking is to provide an alternative way to take nicotine.
This can take the form of gum, patches or an inhaler, but increasingly people are transitioning from cigarettes to vaping, fulfilling a prophecy that Dr Hon Lik, creator of the modern vape device, made over a decade ago.
However, not every smoker is the same, and there are different levels of nicotine available to meet the cravings of different types of smokers, from nicotine-free vapes designed to help with the sensation and psychological cravings up to the legal limit of 20mg/ml.
However, as milligrams per millilitre is not always the most intuitive metric for telling if a vape product is right for you, here is a brief primer on different nicotine levels and how they feel.
Zero Nicotine
Some smokers only ever had an odd cigarette during a night out and were less addicted to nicotine itself than to the sensation of smoking itself, and this is where 0mg nicotine vape juices become very popular.
In the early 2010s, low and zero-nicotine vape juices were very popular because they were often used to create huge vape clouds and be used to blow rings.
In more recent years, it has seen popularity as a way to dilute other vape juices to provide a perfect concentration.
Low Nicotine
Generally judged as between 3mg and 6mg, low nicotine liquids are either the first step for someone who was a light smoker (i.e. smoked less than ten cigarettes per day) or the last step for smokers who have gradually reduced their nicotine intake.
Typically it is the level that people who have been vaping for a long time will use, as it is enough nicotine to satisfy cravings and allows for fuller flavours than higher-density nicotine mixes.
Medium Strength
Typically this is any vape liquid between 6mg and 12mg, medium strength vapes are designed for people who smoke a standard packet of 20 cigarettes.
This is typically the place to start for average smokers as it should provide enough nicotine to keep cravings away and serve as a barometer for whether you need lighter or higher-strength liquids going forward.
High Strength
Anything above 12mg up to the limit of 20mg is considered to be a high nicotine level and is therefore designed with the cravings of people who smoke more than a single packet in a day.
It is generally not a vape strength people typically start with unless they are an especially heavy smoker, but instead one that you transition to from the typical 12mg concentrations if you are still feeling cravings.
Another aspect to consider is that if you are planning on using high-strength liquids, you will need a device suited to higher nicotine levels.
