Stoptober is an annual campaign by Cancer Research UK to encourage smokers to quit for at least one month. It’s a time when people are motivated to make changes in their lives, and many decide it’s the perfect opportunity to switch from smoking traditional cigarettes to vaping.
However, there are some aspects of switching that can be tricky or confusing – for example how much nicotine should you use in your e-liquid? And what about PG/VG ratios? This guide will give you some top tips so you can fully prepare to make the switch before Stoptober starts!
1. Ahead Of Stopover Take Some Time To Research The Right Device
The first thing to do is make sure you buy an e-cig that will work for you. E-cigs come in all shapes and sizes, with different features or even pre-filled flavours, so it’s important to find the one that will tick all of the boxes for your needs.
For example, if you’re looking for something discreet or small enough to carry around without others noticing, you might want something like a cig-a-like. But if not having to recharge frequently is more important than size, an e-pen style device may be better suited for you.
When choosing your first device, keep it simple, don’t go down the mod style e-cigarette route, these types of devices are much more complicated and usually require extra accessories. Stick with either a disposable vape pen, a pod kit or a basic pen-style kit.
It might take a little while to research what type of device suits you best, which is completely normal! What works for other people might not necessarily suit you, but once you’ve found something that does work – stick with it!
2. Choose Your E-Liquid
Choosing an e-liquid flavour is often the hardest part of switching to vaping, there are so many different options out there that sometimes it can get confusing.
When choosing a vape liquid, start by picking something you think you’ll like the taste of – but also pick up one or two sample packs with flavours you wouldn’t usually go for, just in case! This will give you a chance to try them all and decide which ones are worth buying in larger quantities.
Choose Your Nicotine Strength
Choosing the right nicotine strength is very important, don’t just go for the highest one available! This can be quite harsh on your throat and may cause some side effects such as a headache or nausea. If you’re not sure what would suit you best, ask the seller what they recommend as a starting point based on your smoking habits.
As a general rule of thumb;
- Heavy smokers (20 or more cigarettes a day) should use 18mg nicotine liquids or 20mg Nicotine Salts
- Medium smokers (between 10 and 20 cigarettes a day) should go for 12mg of nicotine in e-juice or 10mg Nicotine Salts
- Light smokers (up to 10 cigarettes a day) should purchase 3mg nicotine vaping juice or 5mg, Nicotine Salts
Deciding On A PG/VG Ratio
Two things to note when choosing e-liquid are PG (Propylene Glycol) and VG (Vegetable Glycerin), these are two common substances used in e-liquids that give flavour and cloud production when heated by the coil. If you already had experience smoking cigarettes, chances are that 5PG0:50VG is going to suit you best.
Nic Salt e-liquid is great for smokers who are making the switch as the compound provides a throat hit sensation very similar to that of a traditional cigarette.
3. Don’t Vape Constantly
For the first few weeks, try and limit yourself to just a couple of puffs on your e-cig when you feel like having a cigarette – this will allow your brain to gradually get used to the idea that you won’t need nicotine every time you find yourself reaching for one!
4. Be Patient
Making the switch from smoking to vaping is a big change in your life and habits, and learning how to vape properly won’t come to you overnight. Take your time, try new things, and most of all enjoy the experience.
So, starting with a good device is key, but before you rush out and buy one make sure it suits your needs. If in doubt, start by picking up a pen-style e-cig or disposable vape pen – these devices are much more simple than mods and usually come preloaded with e-liquid to keep it simple.
What Happens After Stoptober?
You are officially on your vape journey. So now to reduce your nicotine intake gradually through the wide range of strengths available in e-liquid. To do this you will require an upgrade on your device, so yes some more research is to be done.
Start by researching Vape lingo, it can be complex, but whilst sticking with a simple device when initially making the switch, more advanced kits allow you to have more control over your nicotine intake. A good place to start when choosing your next device is initially understanding the basic science of how a vape device works and the terminology.
