Comparing Nicotine Intake From Vaping and Cigarettes

When many e-cigarette users ask about the nicotine content in a cigarette, it is usually because they want to calculate how much e-liquid they should consume. Their intention is to mimic the sensation of nicotine obtained from cigarettes in hopes of achieving a similar experience.

Whether smoking or using e-cigarettes, the goal is to obtain nicotine. However, knowing the nicotine content in a cigarette does not necessarily translate to data for e-cigarette use. This is because the methods of nicotine delivery and the byproducts inhaled from e-cigarettes and cigarettes are completely different. Even with the same amount of nicotine intake, people do not experience the exact same sensation as smoking.

Nicotine is a complex substance that can stimulate and relax, and it is highly addictive. Pure nicotine is toxic (controversial). During the smoking process, nicotine causes capillaries to dilate, allowing thousands of harmful substances from tobacco combustion to enter cells, leading to diseases in the human body. For this reason, nicotine has borne the brunt of blame for cigarettes for many years.

Although the experiences of obtaining nicotine from smoking and using e-cigarettes differ, users can still achieve satisfaction from nicotine. Given the toxicity and addictiveness of nicotine, most users want to know how much nicotine they actually consume.

Nicotine content in a cigarette

If you pay attention to cigarette packaging, you will find that the nicotine content indicated by tobacco companies is around 1mg. But how is this content determined? Is it valuable for smokers?

It is worth noting that the nicotine content indicated by tobacco companies does not correspond to the actual nicotine content in a cigarette. According to a paper from the Department of Toxicology at the Kitasato University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Tokyo, this content is determined using a smoking machine: a syringe draws 32ML per minute until a cigarette is completely burned. However, this measurement method is extremely inaccurate. It neither represents the actual amount of nicotine absorbed by the human body when smoking a cigarette nor the actual nicotine content in a cigarette.

On average, an unlit cigarette contains about one gram of tobacco, which includes approximately 8.4 milligrams of nicotine. But the issue is not how many milligrams of nicotine are in a cigarette, but how much nicotine is absorbed by the human body. This is a complex question.

According to research by Iranian scientists on local and imported cigarettes in the Iranian market, it was found that the nicotine content in local cigarettes ranges from 6.17 to 12.65 milligrams (accounting for 1.23 ± 0.15% of the weight of tobacco per cigarette); the nicotine content in imported cigarettes ranges from 7.17 to 28.86 milligrams (accounting for 1.80 ± 0.25% of the weight of tobacco per cigarette).

Currently, there is no strongest or highest nicotine content on the market. Generally, reputable manufacturers only produce e-liquids with a maximum of 24 or 36 milligrams per milliliter. Avoid using e-liquids with excessively high concentrations.

If you feel the need for a liquid between these concentrations, you can purchase two different concentrations and mix them using simple addition and subtraction, for example, 3 = (0 + 6) / 2.

Calculating nicotine content in cigarettes:

For example, if the nicotine content of the cigarettes you smoke is 1.1 (nicotine content = nicotine amount, which will be indicated on the left side of the cigarette box), then as shown:

1.1×20 cigarettes = 22 milligrams.

Generally, a person consumes about 2 to 4 milliliters of e-liquid per day. If you consume two milliliters a day, it is recommended to choose 11 milligrams.

These results are merely rough estimates and can serve as a reference. After using e-cigarettes for a few days, you should know whether you need to increase or decrease the nicotine amount in your e-liquid.

According to Professor Bernd Mayer from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Karl-Franzens University Graz (Austria), "Smoking leads to an intake of about 2 milligrams of nicotine, resulting in an average arterial plasma nicotine concentration of about 0.03 milligrams/liter (30 micrograms/milliliter)."

Therefore, many scientists believe that the nicotine content on tobacco packaging does not help estimate the nicotine intake from cigarettes and does not accurately represent the nicotine content in a cigarette. Tobacco product labels should indicate the actual nicotine content.

The nicotine content in e-cigarettes varies significantly based on the e-liquid formulation. Generally, bottled e-liquids on the market have nicotine concentrations of 0mg, 3mg/ml, 6mg/ml, 12mg/ml, 18mg/ml, and 24mg/ml. E-liquids using nicotine salt technology generally have higher concentrations, and it is common to see e-liquids with 5% nicotine content, which translates to 50mg/ml. Many users often compare commercial nicotine concentrations with cigarette nicotine content in hopes of achieving a similar nicotine intake as smoking, and businesses often use this comparison to make recommendations. However, this method of suggestion is not scientific and can even mislead users.

Generally, e-liquids with lower VG content and smaller vapor volume are suitable for MTL (mouth-to-lung) type e-cigarettes. These e-cigarettes have low power but often require high nicotine concentration e-liquids to achieve nicotine intake comparable to smoking. Early e-cigarettes were mostly of this type, and smokers often needed 12ml or more of e-liquid to achieve satisfaction.

High VG content e-liquids have only recently become popular. These e-liquids typically have high VG content and require high power for atomization. Initially, some e-liquid manufacturers introduced these to meet a batch of e-cigarette users' pursuit of large vapor clouds or to increase e-liquid sales, thus increasing the speed of user e-liquid consumption. They are often paired with high-power devices. Due to the strong stimulation of nicotine, these high-power e-liquids often have lower nicotine concentrations or are nicotine-free, such as 0mg/ml, 3mg/ml, or 6mg/ml. Users often use the direct lung (DL) mode, but the actual nicotine intake is not high, making them more suitable for vapor show enthusiasts or light smokers. The actual effect on smoking cessation is not very significant, and many businesses, lacking sufficient knowledge, recommend these products to consumers with smoking cessation needs, often leading to disappointment among smokers regarding e-cigarettes.

Recent studies have raised questions about these high-power, high VG, low nicotine e-liquids. According to the self-titration effect of nicotine among smokers (users), when consuming these e-liquids, due to the low nicotine content, users often need to consume more e-liquid to achieve the required nicotine level in their bodies. This means users have to inhale more PG and VG aerosolized mist. A study published in Plos ONE in 2017 confirmed that both nicotine-free pure PG and pure VG e-liquids release hydrocarbon compounds, such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, and may increase exponentially at high temperatures; pure VG e-liquids produce more hydrocarbon compounds than PG. Renowned researcher Dr. K. Farsalinos has urged e-cigarette users not to lower their nicotine concentrations, as he believes nicotine itself is harmless. Lowering nicotine concentrations may lead to compensatory mechanisms that result in higher intake of PG and VG aerosols, which contain harmful substances like formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and propylene aldehyde.

The nicotine salt technology has addressed some issues regarding nicotine intake efficiency. Closed-system e-cigarettes like JUUL and RELX that use nicotine salt technology significantly improve the success rate of smokers switching to vaping. These e-cigarettes often have relatively high nicotine concentrations, with 5% nicotine content equivalent to 50mg/ml, and a 2ml pod can contain up to 100mg of nicotine. Many users are concerned about this concentration, but in reality, there is no need for concern. Like cigarettes, if the nicotine content of a cigarette is calculated at 8mg, then the total nicotine content in a pack of cigarettes can reach 160mg. The question is how much nicotine is absorbed by the human body. Many scientists believe that the nicotine intake from smoking a cigarette is less than 1mg, which is lower than the nicotine content measured by machines on cigarette labels. The loss mainly occurs in the burning part of the cigarette exposed to air and the portion exhaled by the human body, which is secondhand smoke, causing the deaths of millions worldwide each year. E-cigarettes do not produce secondhand smoke, thus the nicotine loss during the vaporization process is much lower than that of burning cigarettes. Therefore, the nicotine content in cigarettes cannot be directly compared to that in e-cigarettes, and the nicotine content in cigarettes does not provide significant reference value for users' nicotine intake from e-cigarettes. Currently, there is not much scientific data on nicotine intake from e-cigarettes. Users primarily determine their nicotine concentration, intake frequency, and e-liquid consumption based on the self-titration effect of nicotine. Previous scientists have stated that due to the body's self-titration of nicotine, users are unlikely to consume excessive nicotine from smoking. More scientific attention is recommended in this area.

Global death data caused by smoking and secondhand smoke

Nicotine salts improve nicotine delivery efficiency, allowing users to feel satisfied without feeling too harsh on the throat. Users can achieve nicotine satisfaction with fewer puffs of vapor. This mimics the nicotine delivery curve and efficiency of cigarettes in the human body while reducing the potential risks associated with inhaling large amounts of PG and VG aerosols from traditional e-cigarettes. Many people find that when they want to smoke, taking 3-5 puffs can provide satisfaction and eliminate the desire to smoke. Therefore, nicotine salt technology is widely regarded as a significant innovation in the e-cigarette industry.