What a nicotine salt is
Nicotine in e-liquid comes in two forms. Freebase is the pure alkaloid: harsh at high strength, slow to absorb. Nicotine salt is freebase combined with a weak acid (usually benzoic or lactic), which lowers the pH. The result is a smoother hit at the same strength and faster absorption — closer to the feeling of a cigarette.
That is why almost every 20 mg product in Europe uses salt: at the EU maximum, freebase would be too harsh for most people to vape.
Reading the strength
- 20 mg/ml (2%) — the EU maximum. Aimed at heavy smokers switching over.
- 10 mg/ml (1%) — the sensible middle for moderate smokers, and the usual step down from 20 mg.
- 0 mg — flavour only, no nicotine.
The strength is per millilitre, not per bottle. A 10 ml bottle at 20 mg/ml contains 200 mg of nicotine in total — about the same as two and a half packs of cigarettes, spread over thousands of puffs.
How long a 10 ml bottle lasts
For a typical mouth-to-lung vaper, 10 ml is roughly 3,000–3,500 puffs. If you vape 200 puffs a day, that is two to three weeks. A 2 ml prefilled pod in a disposable is about 600 puffs — three days or so.
Stepping down
Go from 20 mg to 10 mg in one move rather than inventing intermediate strengths. Vape the same amount for a week; if you find yourself reaching for it constantly, go back up for a month and try again. Dropping strength too fast is the most common reason people return to cigarettes.
Storage and safety
- Keep bottles closed, upright and away from sunlight. Nicotine oxidises and the liquid darkens.
- Nicotine is toxic if swallowed, especially to children and pets. A 10 ml bottle at 20 mg is enough to make a small child seriously ill — store it like medicine.
- Do not decant into unlabelled containers, and never into a drinks bottle.
- If liquid gets on your skin, rinse with water. If it is swallowed, contact your local poison centre.
Which one to buy
Smoked 20+ a day? Start at 20 mg. Smoked 5–10? Try 10 mg first. Either way, buy two flavours rather than one — the bottle you get bored of is the one that sends you back to the shop.
