Understand e-liquid
Choosing your nicotine strength: the number, the type and the device
For adults 21 and older who are comparing e-liquids by the number on the label. In three minutes this explainer shows why two bottles marked with the same strength can feel different, how to read milligrams per milliliter against a percentage, and why the device matters as much as the bottle. It ends with a three-part check you can use on any label.
What you’ll learn
- The label tells you the liquid’s concentration, not the complete result of each puff.
- On labels using the common weight-per-volume convention, multiply the percentage by ten: two percent equals twenty milligrams per milliliter.
- Nicotine salts can make higher concentrations easier to inhale, but a smoother inhale does not mean less nicotine.
- A lower-strength liquid in a device that produces more aerosol can still deliver substantial nicotine.
- The order to use when comparing products: device first, then the bottle’s strength and type, then your current product only as a reference.
Transcript
Two bottles can show the same nicotine strength and still feel very different. Here’s why: the label tells you the liquid’s concentration, but nicotine type changes how it can feel, and the device helps determine what each puff delivers. So check three things together: nicotine strength, nicotine type, and device.
First, nicotine strength. It may appear as milligrams per milliliter, shortened to M G per M L, or as a percentage. On labels using the common weight-per-volume convention, multiply the percentage by ten. Two percent equals twenty milligrams per milliliter. Five percent equals fifty. Always read the exact bottle you are buying.
Next, nicotine type. The two terms you will see most often are nicotine salt and freebase nicotine. Nicotine salts can make higher concentrations easier to inhale, with less throat irritation than freebase. So a strong liquid may feel smoother. But a smoother inhale does not mean less nicotine.
Next, check the device. Its power and design affect how much liquid becomes aerosol. The way you puff matters too. A lower-strength liquid in a device that produces more aerosol can still deliver substantial nicotine. The bottle tells you the concentration, not the complete result of each puff.
When comparing products, use this order. One: start with the device and follow its instructions for compatible liquids. Two: read the bottle for nicotine strength and nicotine type. Three: if you are switching products, use your current product only as a reference. Different types and devices do not translate one-for-one.
No single number fits everyone, and a higher number is not a better choice. Remember, smooth can still be strong. Too much nicotine can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating, or tremors. If you suspect nicotine poisoning, stop using the product and get expert help right away. In the United States, call Poison Control at one eight hundred, two two two, one two two two. Keep every nicotine product away from children and pets.
Remember the three-part check: nicotine strength, nicotine type, and device. Black Note offers naturally extracted tobacco e-liquids without artificial flavors, sweeteners or synthetic nicotine. This video is for adults twenty-one and older. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.
Sources
- CDC, About E-Cigarettes (nicotine salts and inhalation)
- Blank et al. 2020, Tobacco Control (device power, concentration, design and puffing affect delivery)
- Poison Control, Electronic Cigarettes (symptoms and the 1-800-222-1222 line)
Too much nicotine can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating, or tremors. If you suspect nicotine poisoning, stop using the product and get expert help right away. In the United States, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Keep every nicotine product away from children and pets.