How many puffs equivalent to a normal cigarette...

[werxie]

This isn't exactly a question, so I was unsure of whether it ought to be in the general section.

I received my first e-cigarette today, and I assumed smoking it would be vaguely akin to a normal cigarette - similar amount of draws and inhales for the same effect. Now I'm a fairly heavy smoker, 15 to 20 rollups a day for 10 years, usually filtered but not always. After about 8 inhales on my Tornado with a tobacco-low cartridge in it however, I was feeling quite the nicotine rush. I was curious if it was just me, so my housemate (who only smokes socially) had 2 draws and felt like he'd had a whole cigarette quickly. Finally I asked a friend who smokes twice as much as I, and never filtered to try it. After 4 inhales he also noticed he felt he'd had too much nicotine.

How much generally does everyone else feel they have to smoke with an e-cig to have the same effect as a real one? And also, is there a way to increase the amount you need to inhale, so that you can have a 5 minute smoke without nearly falling over?

ADDITION: I fully inhale all draws on a cigarette, as do both my friends. Just occurred to me that this would be an important factor in responses.

[Horsemen]

Well the only way I know of to do what you want to do is to either mix your oen liquid or to cut a premix.
You are currently using 8mg liquid.  So i would try going down to 4mg and see if that helps.

Actually you could just take less draws over a specified period.

As far as how much nicotine you get per inhale.  That is hard to determine as everyone absorbs nicotine differently.  And I do not think there are any studies done on this issue.  You seem to want/need exact numbers and that just is not possible.

[werxie]

Well I know exact numbers aren't a possibility or anything like that, I was just curious as to how much other people find is similar to a full cigarette. My Tornado came with 2 low nicotine cartridges, several medium and several high and 1 no nicotine cart. I am using the low and I must say it's stronger than I expected. I also ordered 30ml of 11mg liquid. I'm sure on the forum I can find information about mixing that down, but I was just curious how much everyone else finds to be about a full cigarette.

I bought mine simply so I could smoke in pubs, and also because though there are obviously health risks, it seems obvious they're lesser than actual tobacco. I was, however, hoping I could enjoy a smoke for the same period of time as I usually do (after reading the forum rules I'll just make it very clear I have no intention of quitting and that isn't why I bought it, I just felt it will be a) less detrimental to my health and b) I dont have to go out into the rain to have a smoke when I'm at the pub )

[urpal]

It's an interesting question. I've read that some studies in the past have suggested that e-cigs actually deliver nicotine at much lower levels than normal cigarettes despite the nominally high nicotine levels of e-liquid - and some argue for this reason that they are therefore a poor substitute.

I was reading a member's post on the e-cig forum just yesterday where a medical check of the levels of cotinine etc in the contributor's blood suggested a level of absorption significantly lower than those of an average smoker but also much higher than a non-smoker.

The fact is that no definitive studies currently exist.

Personally I have never experienced a "rush" whilst vaping of the type you get when smoking a first cigarette after a long period of abstinence.

If you feel subjectively satisfied by vaping - and don't feel unwell as a consequence - then it probably matters not.

I believe that many vapers report that they feel that they vape more frequently than they smoke/smoked which suggests that either the "hit" is at a lower level or vaping is a more addictive experience. I tend to the former theory.

[drahcir]

I know I vape more than I smoke. The fact that I can be anywhere and get nicotine in my system contributes to that.

[vapenator]

This puzzles me too as im constantly tooting away on my PV. if an average analogue provides 0.5 mg per stick then a pack of 20 is 10mg. this would mean 1ml of 18 mg liquid is more than a packet of 20. i get through about 4 ml a day so technically im an 120 a day man  .

like others though i do not get a head rush when vaping so either nicotine doesnt in itself produce the rush or vaping delivers a lot less. its an interesting subject as i dont want to be over doing it. that said i feel great so am not too concerned

[werxie]

I've always believed my smoking is more through habit than addiction, though I certainly am addicted, but it's always seemed than frequency was more important than quantity. I can make 1/2 ounce of rolling tobacco last 3 or 4 days. I suppose it's also possible that a new or full cartridge delivers more of a hit than a partially used one. All I know is after my initial usage of a Low cartridge that came with the Tornado, I did feel slightly unwell after 8 or so full draws and didnt feel quite right again for about an hour. It was like i'd smoked 5 cigarettes in one go (which I've done before). I suppose it depends on peoples absorption etc, but it would be nice to see a study into it. Also, as I commented on a different topic, an e-cig that has a liquid reservoir and can alert you when you've smoked equivalent to 1 normal smoke, would be a brilliant advance.

[drahcir]

That type of device would need some kind of way to be programed with being able to detect or set the level of nicotine in the juice. plus just like analogs everybody vapes a different way. Some take short draws some take long draws. So there would also have to be a standard set in to determine what is a single draw or something built in to see how much nicotine is delivered when the liquid is vaporized. I am sure with the way technology is it could be done but at this point I think it would cost way to much to be able to mass produce it. Also if you look at the size of some of the better VV mods I think that it wouldn't be to compact and people would be less inclined to buy it. But the way things are going and if there is a huge demand somebody will figure it out.

[JohnEAngel]

when I first started vaping, and a friend had a similar experience, the nicotine seemed more concentrated than a cigarette. in fact, I seemed to get a good buzz.  and I had the same questions about how much ejuice equaled a cigarette.  it's natural to be curious about that in the beginning but after a while, the curiosity wanes. and we just vape on.  

and I believe that dependent on the nicotine strength, approximately 10 vapes would equal the nicotine from a cigarette.