FAQ's
What is vaping?
Vaping, or the use of e cigarettes, is a concept designed to be a healthier alternative to smoking. The aim of vaping is to satisfy your craving for nicotine without the associated risk that comes from combustible cigarettes, namely tar and other chemicals involved in the tobacco and manufacture process.
Is vaping safe?
With vaping there is no tobacco, no tar, no combustion. In 2015 Public Health England conducted a study using all the available scientific evidence regarding vaping, and found that vaping was considered to be “95% LESS harmful than smoking”. This report is updated annually and still maintains their stance on the findings.
E-cigarettes around 95% less harmful than tobacco estimates landmark review
E-cigarettes safer than smoking says long-term study
What are the benefits of vaping?
Let’s look at the most common ones.
- As mentioned above, the harm reduction associated between smoking and vaping.
- Can help you quit smoking. Current estimates are that over 3 million people in Great Britain are users of e cigarettes.
- Regaining your sense of smell and taste.
- You, your clothes, where you live, won’t smell of cigarettes anymore
Undoubtedly one of the biggest drivers for a lot of people is the cost. Let’s be honest, cigarettes year on year are becoming more expensive. Starting out with the right device and liquid for your needs will save you a considerable amount of money.
Here’s a little breakdown using what we believe are the average costs based on a 20 a day person
- Average 20 pack of cigarettes = £10
- 7 packs a week = £70
- cost over a month (30 days) = £300
- cost over a year = £3,600
Now let's look at the cost if you were considering vaping.
- Standard starter kit with a free 10ml liquid = £25
- Cost over a month (30 days) which includes 12 bottles of liquid at £30 and a pack of coils at £10. Total spend £40
- Cost over a year, excluding the initial start up cost of the starter kit = £480
- So that’s an annual saving of £3,120 a year!!
What is in E liquid and how does it work?
E-liquid is heated up in a vape device to create visible vapour. The main base ingredients are PG (Propylene Glycol) and VG (Vegetable Glycerin), two substances widely found in food and medicine. Alongside the PG and VG there’s also flavourings, nicotine and some distilled water.
VG is a natural derivative of plants, in e-liquid it serves as a thickener and will also create a larger amount of vapour. PG is thinner and is used as a base combining the nicotine and flavourings.
What do the ratios mean?
An E-liquid VG/PG percentage will always add up to 100%, for example, 70% PG / 30% VG, 50% VG / 50% PG or 70% VG / 30% PG.
For a vape starter kit, a higher PG percentage can be more beneficial, it will be runnier and will require less power to heat up, so it’s perfect for pod devices and mouth to lung open tank kits. A good starting place will be a 50% PG e-liquid.
E-liquids with a higher VG percentage will be thicker, they will create larger amounts of vapour when used, but require more power to do so.
What nicotine strength do I need?
Picking your ideal nicotine strength is key to satisfying your craving for nicotine. Generally it is based on how many cigarettes you smoke a day. Too low a strength may not satisfy your cravings and lead you back to cigarettes. Too high a nicotine strength can result in headaches and dizziness, as well as being too harsh on your throat.
As a good starting point we have broken it down to the following…
1 - 5 a day - 3mg.
5 - 10 a day - 6mg.
10 -15 a day - 12 mg.
20 plus a day - 18mg.
What flavour?
When it comes to vape flavours there are plenty to choose from. For some it can be a tobacco flavour to keep it familiar to cigarettes, although they don’t taste exactly like one. For others they might want no familiarity to cigarettes whatsoever, so will pick a fruit flavour, or a menthol based flavour. You need to ask yourself what would be a flavour you could use all day and start from there.
One of the great things about vaping is that you have the ability to change from flavour to flavour until you find the right one, or mix it up to keep it interesting.
What is a Shortfill?
These eliquids are supplied as a 60ml bottle with 50ml of 0mg eliquid with space to put in a nictone shot. A nictone shot is an unflavoured 18mg liquid supplied in a 10ml bottle. When the contents of the 10ml,18mg are entered into the shortfill bottle, it gives an overall volume of 60ml 3 mg.
What are coils, and what do they do?
They go by many names, burners, filters, but are widely known as coils or pods. They are a coiled wire with a cotton wrap around, sat in a casing. The basic principle is when the power button is pressed the coil heats up the cotton that is soaked in the liquid creating vapour, which is inhaled. They come in different resistances which gives an estimate to how much power can pass through them. As a brief guide the higher the resistance, less power. The lower the resistance, more power.
Coils do need changing periodically. A couple of indicators are, a burnt taste, loss in flavour, no reading of resistance on the device. Instructions are provided with the kits on how to change them. One key thing to remember is that all new coils need ‘priming’. This process requires a small amount of time, usually 10 min, to allow the liquid to be absorbed by cotton before first use.
Pods are slightly different in that you would replace the whole cartridge rather than just the coil. ‘Priming’ still needs to happen before first use.
How do I know which vape is best for me?
There are 2 main styles of vaping.
The first is mouth to lung (MTL).
MTL vaping is similar to the way you already smoke a cigarette, inhaling vapour into your mouth then into your lungs. Most vape starter kits will produce the right amount of vapour to support this style of vaping.
A nice simple device with a small number of options such as the Innokin T18 ii might suit you.
If you would like a set up where you could have a bit more flexibility with a menu to alter power settings, track your puff count then maybe the Innokin Cook Fire Z 50 be what you’re looking for.
The second is direct to lung (DTL).
DTL vaping is a different style where you inhale vapour directly into your lungs without holding it in your mouth first. DTL vaping is a form of vaping most associated with more advanced devices called sub ohm kits.
These kits require more knowledge to use properly, and while they’re not recommended for first time switchers, it may be something you move towards as you become more experienced.
Willpower
Hopefully we have covered everything and answered most of your questions.
Vaping is not like smoking. It feels different, you have to be more prepared (making sure the battery is charged / you have enough liquid with you).
A big aspect when starting out is changing your habit / routine to incorporate vaping as you would have done if you were smoking. It’s a process that takes time. It may take you a couple of days to quit the cigarettes, it may take longer, a month maybe. You might want to gradually cut down the cigarettes whilst vaping until you aren't using cigarettes at all. There is no right or wrong answer when starting out, the key is to be consistent, remember why you are choosing the vape over the cigarette, and don’t put yourself under too much pressure.