What Is Nicotine? A Guide to an Often Misunderstood Substance

Nicotine is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in tobacco plants and in small amounts in some vegetables like tomatoes and aubergines. It acts as a stimulant and is the primary addictive substance in cigarettes. In vaping, nicotine can be added to e-liquid in various strengths to help people manage cravings while transitioning from smoking.

Why People Ask: The Need to Understand Nicotine

Most people encounter nicotine through smoking cigarettes or using vapes, nicotine pouches, or other tobacco alternatives. With so many products providing tobacco free nicotine, it’s natural to wonder: what exactly is nicotine, and what does it do?

Understanding nicotine is especially important If you’re looking to make the switch from smoking to vaping, ensuring you choose the right level of nicotine in your vape is a large part of making a smooth transition.

If you're not reaching the nicotine hit you are used to when smoking, there may be a risk you return to cigarettes. Therefore when buying e-liquids, the strength of the nicotine is a crucial decision.

Also, if you’re curious about nicotine pouches or low-nicotine alternatives or concerned about addiction or health risks then keep reading - figuring this bit out first is a great place to start your vaping or alternative nicotine journey.

What Is Nicotine?

Nicotine is an optional addition to e-liquid, and the majority of vape juices are available in strengths of 0mg, 3mg, 6mg and 12mg freebase options as well as 5mg, 10mg and 20mg nicotine salts. The addition of nicotine in e-liquid is there to help you manage your cravings after switching from smoking.

Here's the key breakdown:

• Source: Naturally found in tobacco leaves

• Effects: Increases alertness, reduces stress, can suppress appetite

• Addiction potential: High - similar to caffeine in habit formation, but more intense in physical dependence

How Nicotine Works: From Puff to Brain

When you inhale nicotine, it enters your bloodstream rapidly through the lungs. If you’re using nicotine pouches, it's absorbed more slowly through the lining of your mouth.

Here’s what happens next:

Nicotine causes a cascade of effects across the central nervous system that influences mood, cognition, heart rate, and reward pathways. Once it hits your brain, your dopamine receptors become stimulated and then desensitised. This causes your brain to create even more receptors and this fuels addiction, as you now require more nicotine to generate the same initial effect - this is what causes that feeling of ‘it’s never as good as your first drag’.

Understanding this pathway helps explain why nicotine is so habit-forming, and why some delivery methods (like vaping) feel more satisfying than others - they deliver nicotine efficiently and quickly, just like smoking.

Nicotine vs. Tobacco: Not the Same Thing

Nicotine is just one component of tobacco, but it’s the one responsible for dependence. Tobacco smoke also contains tar, carbon monoxide, and thousands of other harmful chemicals. Vapes and nicotine pouches isolate nicotine, allowing you to avoid combustion-related toxins.

That’s why Public Health England has stated that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking - because it delivers nicotine without burning tobacco.

Types of Nicotine Delivery

Here are the main ways nicotine is consumed today:

Combustible tobacco: Cigarettes, rolling tobacco, cigars

Vapes (E-Cigarettes): E-Liquids with varying nicotine strengths

Nicotine pouches: Tobacco-free oral nicotine products

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): Patches, gums, lozenges

Each method has different absorption rates, onset times, and health implications.

What Do The Numbers On The Bottles Of E-Liquid Mean?

This number relates to how many milligrams of nicotine there is per millilitre of e-liquid. Essentially - the lower the number, the less nicotine there is. Sometimes it’s written in a percentage format too - for example a 3mg/ml is 0.3% nicotine.

How Much E-Liquid Is Equilavent To Smoking A Cigarette?

A lot of people ask this question, but it’s a bit of a tough one to answer - it depends on the strength of the cigarettes you used to smoke, how many per day, your smoking style and even your body mass and lung capacity. All of this would need to be weighed up against what concentration of nicotine you have in your e-liquid and what your vaping style is. To give you some idea (we’ll break down the numbers a little more next) your average cigarette has 12mgs of nicotine (though can range from 8mg right up to 20mg), but your body will only absorb a small amount of this, the rest is released back out when you exhale the smoke. Vaping doesn’t deliver nicotine into your system quite as quickly as smoking does either. It’s a bit like coffee and alcohol - what might be normal for one person might be too much or too little for someone else.

This brings us onto the important question - how to choose the best nicotine strength for you.

Which Nicotine Strength Is Right For Me?

The important thing in answering this simply comes down to your smoking habits - look at how many you have a day, think about whether they are a light variety or not and go from there. The strength you use is personal to you - trying a stronger liquid might help you make the switch from smoking to vaping and once you’ve found the right one you can gradually reduce it over time. The other benefit is, if you go for a slightly lower strength you can vape until you’re satisfied rather than having too strong a hit.

How Much Nicotine is Equal to one Cigarette: Nicotine Strength Chart

• 0mg nicotine - the nicotine free option is ideal for social smokers who only have the odd cigarette when they’re out and just want the feel of smoking, or to dilute their juice that does have some nicotine to make it a little more mild. It’s also for hobbyists who just enjoy being able to blow vapour rings and do the Irish Waterfall in the comfort of their own home.

• 3mg nicotine - This is the lowest level nicotine you can get in a liquid (unless you mix it yourself with some 0mg to dilute it). 3mg e-liquids are often the ideal final step for people quitting smoking, who have reduced their intake to almost nothing. We’d also recommend this concentration for light smokers who are getting through only a few cigarettes a day.

• 5mg-6mg nicotine - Another low-level nicotine strength, 5mg or 6mg still gives you the nicotine buzz you’re looking for, similar to what you’d expect from some brands of Ultra Low/Ultra Light cigarettes. This one is for those of you who are getting through around 10 a day - though depending on the strength of what you’re used to the 3mg might be better suited.

• 10mg-12mg nicotine - Made for your average smoker, who gets through up to a pack a day. 10mg or 12mg strengths are a good place to start to get you used to vaping and will give you enough to keep the cravings away.

• 18mg nicotine through to 20mg nicotine - This is the best vape juice strength for quitting smoking, for people who are getting through a serious number of cigarettes - by this we mean over a pack a day. The strength of the juice needed will also dictate the kind of device you’ll need as not all vapes are made the same. 20mg nicotine is available within nicotine salts, also used in prefilled vape pod kits.

Some Further Tips:

• If you still want the throat hit, but the amount of nicotine is too high, try an e-liquid with a 50:50 VG/PG ratio, the more PG there is, the more of that I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-cigarettes feel you’ll get.

• It’s a process - if you’re a heavy smoker it’s OK to start out with a high nicotine content, if it helps you quit, it’s what’s going to be better in the long run and you can gradually reduce the strength over time.

• If in doubt, start low - it’s worth trying the slightly lower strength so you don’t overdo it and end up with a nic headache - the last thing we want is for you to have a bad first vaping experience. The other thing is, if it’s a bit lower you can just take a few more drags until you feel about right - vaping means nicotine absorbs into your system a little slower than smoking so give it a few minutes when you first try it and see how you feel.

• Not all electronic cigarettes are made for high-strength nicotine, with Sub Ohm devices being too powerful for the high doses, you’ll need something different. To help you choose the best one for your needs, have a look at our Beginners Guide to Vape Kits to help you out.

• If you're looking for alternatives to vaping but still require nicotine, this can be achieved with other products including our range of nicotine pouches, gums and heated tobacco products.

• Knowing how to store your e-liquid correctly will guarantee the best flavour experience possible and prolong their lifespan.

How Vape Superstore Products Can Help

Whether you’re looking to reduce harm or quit smoking altogether, nicotine pouches and vapes can be a great step in the right direction. Here’s how we help:

• Nicotine pouches: Tobacco-free, discrete, and smoke-free. Ideal for gradual weaning or for use in smoke-free environments.

• Vaping: Offers customisable nicotine levels with a smoother transition away from smoking. Check out our Beginners Vaping Guide for more.

• Nicotine strength options: Whether you’re cutting down or quitting cold turkey, we offer products with a range of strengths as well as nicotine-free options.

• Expert advice: Our blog section is full of clear, reliable guidance - backed by over a decade of experience in the vaping industry.

FAQs About Nicotine

Is nicotine itself harmful?

Nicotine is addictive and can raise blood pressure, but it's not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. Those come from the chemicals released in burning tobacco, not nicotine itself.

Can you overdose on nicotine?

Yes, but it’s rare and usually occurs through accidental ingestion of concentrated liquids. Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, and rapid heartbeat. Always follow usage guidelines and store your vape juice safely and out of reach of minors.

Is nicotine safe during pregnancy?

No. The NHS advises avoiding all nicotine products during pregnancy due to potential effects on foetal development.

Does nicotine cause cancer?

No, nicotine is not classified as a carcinogen. The cancer risk from smoking comes from the tar and other chemicals in tobacco smoke.

Final Thoughts: Know What You’re Using

Nicotine is complex - it’s both a helpful tool for quitting smoking and a highly addictive substance that can be misused. Safer alternatives like vapes and nicotine pouches allow people to reduce harm, without giving up entirely. Understanding nicotine is the first step to making informed choices about how you wish to switch from smoking to a safer alternative.

Want to learn more about nicotine strengths, vape options, or nicotine pouch types? Browse our Vape Guides.

Sources:
1. Nicotine - sciencedaily.com

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