Everyone has heard of nicotine thanks to the crusade against the smoking of tobacco cigarettes. Many people also know that nicotine is highly addictive and believe that it could affect their health. But many e-liquids contain nicotine. If you are wondering whether you should be vaping an e-juice that contains nicotine, then read on.
Nicotine is a natural stimulant which is produced by many plants including nightshades and potatoes.
It is indeed true that nicotine is addictive; that is why it is very hard to quit smoking tobacco. Studies have shown that nicotine stimulates the release of several neurotransmitters in the brain including dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin. Nicotine can make you feel relaxed. It can also boost your mood and make you feel more alert. Researchers have found that the body craves for nicotine like other habit-forming substances.
Another property of nicotine is that people build ‘tolerance’ for it. This means that after taking ‘x’ amount of nicotine for some time, you would need a higher amount of the substance to produce the same effects you experienced when you initially took ‘x’. For those who smoke cigarettes, this means having to smoke several tobacco sticks every day. This is a slippery slope to becoming a chain smoker.
It is for his reason that many people turn to vaping. Studies have shown that using e-cigarettes can significantly increase a person’s chances of successfully quitting smoking. What’s more, with vapes, you can control how much nicotine you puff, and there are ways to reduce your nicotine intake without diminishing the experience. Any vape shop worth its name is likely to have e-liquids with different concentration of nicotine available for sale. Nicotine in e-juice is measured in milligrams. The nicotine content in e-liquids can range from 0 to 46mg/mL. The nicotine content in tobacco cigarettes ranges from about 4mg to 20mg.
It is important to note that while a cigarette may have a high nicotine content, not all of it gets into the user’s body through smoking or vaping. Experts say if you smoke a typical tobacco cigarette, you are likely to get about 1mg to 2mg of nicotine. In the same way, if you vape an e-liquid with nicotine, only a fraction of it reaches your blood stream. Research has shown that when you vape, most of the nicotine content in the vapor is absorbed by the mouth and throat before it reaches the lungs. This does not mean that you would not get the nicotine buzz. However, it may take longer for you to feel the effects compared to traditional cigarettes.
Is nicotine dangerous? Research has not provided any evidence that nicotine is harmful to adults when used properly. In tobacco cigarettes, nicotine is not one of the substances that cause cancer and other diseases. However, it is not safe for children and pregnant women.
As a note of caution, it is important to follow the safety instructions on how to use nicotine. Never attempt to vape undiluted nicotine. Also, wear gloves and other prescribed protective gear when refilling nicotine into your e-cig.
So while nicotine is not exactly dangerous, it is highly addictive. This doesn’t sit right with many people who smoke. If you would like to wean yourself off nicotine, it is easy to do so with e-cigarettes. You can use e-liquids with a progressively lower concentration of nicotine until you are comfortable vaping a non-nicotine e-liquid. This strategy would spare you from the withdrawal symptoms of nicotine. On the other hand, if you feel you are strong-willed enough, you can just drop your tobacco cigarette habit and start vaping 0mg/mL nicotine e-liquids. Many other things can increase the throat hit you get from vaping non-nicotine e-juice.
