THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN E-LIQUID AND CIGARETTE

This is a question that is on the lips of many smokers and vapers: what is the correspondence between the quantity of e-liquid and the number of cigarettes? When you have just started vaping or intend to do so to quit smoking, knowing the equivalence between the e-liquid that you put in the electronic cigarette and the number of cigarettes smoked is important. Nicovip enlightens you on this subject!

The correspondence between e-liquid and simplified cigarette

Let’s simplify things to obtain a comparison between the consumption of e-liquid and cigarettes:

• 1 cigarette = about 15 puffs
• 10ml of e-liquid = approximately 3,000 puffs
• 20 cigarettes = 1 pack of cigarettes (usually)

If we follow the logic, we can conclude that 10ml of e-liquid = 1 pack of cigarettes.

But this is only a very simplified calculation! To say that the correspondence of the number of e-liquid cigarettes is that 1 bottle = 1 pack of cigarettes goes beyond reality. So don’t focus on it!

The difficult comparison between the quantity of e-liquid and the number of cigarettes

Comparing the quantity of e-liquid consumed during a vaping day and the number of cigarettes smoked is not easy! The problem is that many parameters come into play. The first is that you have to take into consideration the nicotine absorbed by the body, which is not the same when you vape or smoke. Cigarettes also do not all have the same nicotine content depending on the brands and ranges. Just for that, matching nicotine e-liquid and cigarette is tricky. 

Then, there are a whole bunch of factors that will influence the speed of consumption of an e-liquid. An e-liquid rich in propylene glycol (PG) is consumed faster than an e-liquid rich in vegetable glycerin (VG) on an identical model of electronic cigarette, set to the same power. The reason is that a vape juice rich in PG is very smooth, while a vape juice with High VG or 100% VG is thick. Except that a High VG or Full VG e-liquid is generally vaped on a very powerful e-cig, and will therefore be consumed more quickly than a PG-rich e-liquid vaped on a low-power e-cig. Because yes, the more the power of your electronic cigarettes is high and the greater the airflow (airflow), the more vapour you make, which means that you draw more e-liquid!

How much nicotine is in a cigarette?

Comparing the quantity of e-liquid vaped and the number of cigarettes smoked must therefore take into account the speed of consumption of the liquid by the e-cigarette used, the nicotine level of the vape juice and also the quantity of nicotine in a cigarette. Again, with the amount of nicotine per cigarette, we are on something difficult to quantify, since manufacturers tend to indicate false data. Scientific studies have proven that for each cigarette smoked, a smoker absorbs 1mg to 2mg of nicotine. And that regardless of its so-called nicotine content!

Indeed, the amount of nicotine per cigarette absorbed by the body does not correspond to the information on the packaging. And make no mistake, even with what used to be called “light cigarettes”, the nicotine and toxic substances absorbed remain the same! In theory, with a quantity of nicotine of 1mg to 2mg per cigarette, a vaper who smoked 10 cigarettes per day will need 10mg to 20mg of nicotine per day. With half a bottle of e-liquid, i.e. 5ml, in 3mg/ml, we are at 15mg of nicotine. If this is your case and you vape more or less this theoretically ideal amount per day, it does not matter! We repeat: this is purely theory, and in practice, it is rarely the case. If you need to vape more nicotine per day to quit smoking, do so rather than relapsing into tobacco!

Compare e-liquid and cigarettes: how to find your way around?

If you are looking to make the correspondence between e-liquid and cigarette in a precise way, and this is adapted to your case as a former smoker and a beginner vaper, it will be complicated! Start the vape with an electronic cigarette for beginners, therefore not very powerful, with rather high resistances (more than 1ohm) and beginner e-liquid. Only vape when you feel the need to and don’t inhale too hard. If you manage to quit smoking thanks to the vape, it will already be a big step! All you have to do is get rid of your nicotine addiction by reducing the nicotine dosage of your e-liquids and the amount of liquid consumed per day!

In summary, the whole thing is already to quit smoking. No matter how much e-liquid you vape, it will always be less dangerous than smoking! Of course, once you quit smoking, tackling your nicotine addiction problem is a good thing. Do it at your own pace, listening to your body. Do not try to compare e-liquid and cigarettes, which would only add additional pressure to you! Get help from a tobacco specialist if necessary, to put the odds on your side.