E-cigarettes, or JUULs, and Vape liquids use a battery to heat up special liquids into an aerosol that you inhale. These ‘vape liquids’, or e-juices, contain nicotine (extracted from tobacco), propylene glycol and flavourings. Research shows that many of these ingredients can turn into harmful chemicals when heated into vapor and inhaled. For instance, vanillin turns into acetals that can cause lung irritation and damage. Other studies have shown that cinnamon-flavoured e-juice can release cancer-causing compounds.
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There are many types of e-juices available, with the variety of flavours being almost endless. Many people who switch to vaping do so because they like sweet flavours, and these are very common in e-liquids. The sweetness of these is achieved by adding a sweetening agent, usually sucralose. Some of these sweeteners are derived from sugar, but others are from artificial sources.
A key part of choosing a vape liquid is deciding what strength you want. The ‘nicotine strengths’ you choose are printed on the label in milligrams per ml. The lower the number, the less nicotine there is – 3mg is recommended for those who smoke under 10 cigarettes a day and prefer a light throat hit, 6mg is recommended for heavier smokers, and 12mg is recommended for those who are trying to quit smoking altogether.
E-liquids also come in different PG/VG ratios, which determine how much ‘cloud’ is produced when vaped and how strong a throat hit you get from the juice. The higher the VG level, the more dense the ‘cloud’ is and the weaker the throat hit will be.