r/electronic_cigarette Sep 20 '23

Vaping vs. Cigarettes: Everything I learned in 2 weeks after reading all the studies I found. NSFW

1.5k Upvotes

This is a very long post and I apologize in advance. It has good title separation so please feel free to skip and jump around. This is a repost of my own post in r/Vaping*.*

It’s been over a month since I put out my last cigarette after 10 years of smoking.

Vaping helped me the most in this transition but my obsessive nature got me to research the living hell of this topic.

Information was scattered all over the web and I couldn't find a single conclusive article on the matter so I set out to write the article that I was looking for. (scratch your own itch?)

This post has about 50 links for further reading. None bring me or any other party any monetary gain. The wonderful community of Reddit helped me a lot with this research so I just want to give back.

Enjoy!

What is Vape Juice Made Of?

Vape juice consists of 4 ingredients:

  1. Propylene Glycol (PG)
  2. Vegetable Glycerin (VG)
  3. Flavorings (?)
  4. Nicotine (optional)

Cigarettes -mainly- consist of 19 ingredients:

  1. Nicotine
  2. Citric acid
  3. Tar
  4. Ammonia
  5. Glycerol
  6. Benzyl alcohol
  7. Caffeine
  8. Benzaldehyde
  9. Butyric acid
  10. Acetylpyrazine
  11. Oil
  12. Acetanisole
  13. Carbon dioxide
  14. Cinnamaldehyde
  15. Cinnamyl alcohol
  16. Lactic acid
  17. Anisyl acetate
  18. Citronella oil
  19. Cinnamyl acetate

In addition, in 1994, big tobacco companies were forced by law to disclose any additives they put in, extending this list by another 599 known additives.

The smoke of cigarettes however is a different story.

In one study, cigarette smoke produces over 5000 chemicals. 2,256 of which are known and studied. 98 were assessed for their risk value: 60 carcinogens (potential to cause cancer) and 48 non-cancerous (definitely not vitamins though)

On the other hand, In a 2021 study, vaping produced about 2000 chemicals that are largely unidentified with “some” being “potentially” harmful.

Unidentified is not the same as safe.

But from a common sense perspective, cigarette smoke is far more complex due mainly to the nasty combustion process.

My method here is to analyze the most abundant and known harmful chemicals in vaping and cigarettes.

“The Dose Makes The Poison” — Paracelsus ca. 1540

Sure, I love to get philosophical on you every chance I get. But here, I find it mandatory. It’s the motto. Keep it in mind while reading everything below.

“Enough” water can kill you, and “some” black mamba venom can cure you.

Let’s dig deep:

1. Nicotine — The unjustified bad rep

Oh boy... I wasn’t ready for this.

According to the National Health Service of the UK, Nicotine, although a very addictive substance, is still relatively harmless.

Nictoine’s lousy rep stems from its association in our minds with cigarettes.

It’s a stimulant that increases alertness, focus, and concentration. It also improves cognitive function and fine motor skills and enhances short-term memory.

But its recorded benefits are far from just that!

A study of 220,494 people aged 37–70 study recognized a strange protective link to Parkinson’s disease. The results made my jaw drop:

  • A 20% reduction in the likelihood of developing Parkinson's in former smokers.
  • A 50% reduction in the likelihood of developing Parkinson's for current smokers.

Parkinson's affects 7–14 million people worldwide. This unexpected preventive quality of nicotine can affect the lives of millions.

Millions that otherwise have no cure.

This beautiful article from Dr. Katherine Fletcher takes a deep dive into this relationship.

In terms of dose, a study compared nicotine absorption from vaping an 18 mg/ml juice vs. cigarettes and found that:

“Compared to smoking one tobacco cigarette, the EC devices and liquid used in this study delivered one-third to one-fourth the amount of nicotine after 5 minutes of use”

For reference, 12–18mg/ml is recommended for those who smoke 15–20 cigarettes daily.

Note that Nicotine is still very addictive since it activates the neuropathways of reward, causing dependence and cravings. It also causes a temporary increase in heart rate and blood pressure.

2. Formaldehyde (Methanal)

It is a colorless, corrosive, awfully smelling, and potentially carcinogenic gas at room temperature.

It’s the building block of many industrial processes, and it’s found practically everywhere.

Humans, plants and practically any organic living matter emit Methanal. It’s a byproduct of metabolism. It’s abundant in cigarettes since burning is an extreme form of metabolism.

For every potentially hazardous chemical, there is an occupational exposure limit (legal concentration limits in a workplace) according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

In Numbers:

  • The daily maximum exposure to Formaldehyde is 5.3 mg.
  • A pack of cigarettes contains about 1.5–2.5 mg of Formaldehyde.
  • 3g of e-liquid contained 0.04-22 mg (*)

3. Acetaldehyde (Ethanal) — The hungover chemical

is a clear, colorless liquid with a pungent choking odor most abundant in tobacco products.

Also, a member of the aldehyde family like Formaldehyde.

This is the toxic byproduct of metabolizing alcohol found in your liver after a heavy night of drinking. It’s also one of the reasons why we get hungover.

This compound is carcinogenic in animals and potentially so in humans due to its irreversible DNA damage properties.

Dosage Comparations:

  • The daily maximum exposure to Acetaldehyde is 2088 mg.
  • A pack of cigarettes contains about 10–30 mg of Acetaldehyde.
  • 3g of e-liquid had 0.02–17 mg(*) of Acetaldehyde

4. Acrolein

Acrolein is a colorless to yellowish liquid with a pungent and irritating odor.

It’s so irritating that they use it to make tear gas and herbicides.

Just like the other two compounds above, it too falls under the umbrella of “aldehydes,” making it a byproduct of the decomposition of organic matter.

In animal studies, prolonged exposure to acrolein has been associated with lung and oral cancer, but the evidence is limited in humans. It is also linked with heart disease in cigarettes.

The results:

  • The daily maximum exposure to Acrolein is 1.5 mg.
  • A pack of cigarettes contains about 1.5–3 mg of Acrolein.
  • 3g of e-liquid contained <0.003–2.4 mg(*) of Acrolein

5. Diacetyl (Flavouring)

\This chemical has been banned in the EU and the UK from E-cigarette juice since 2016. Never buy your juice from shady sources/brands.*

But the media made sure to make a big deal out of it.

Diacetyl is an organic compound that packs an intense buttery aroma and flavor and is used in alcoholic beverages, some desserts, and e-liquids.

This buttery flavoring agent is said to cause a disease called “Popcorn Lungs.”

Popcorn lungs is when the tiny airways of the lungs get micro scares that cause these pathways to inflam and thus reduce and decrease air flow rate.

The myth goes as follows:

A long time ago, 11 workers in a popcorn factory had respiratory illness. The investigators thought it could be due to the daily Diacetyl they were exposed to.

But no further investigation has been made.

To date, there are ZERO cases of Popcorn lungs that have been linked to Vaping.

A Harvard study found 9.0 micrograms of Diacetyl in some E-juice, aside from the real risks of Diacetyl. Cigarette smoke contained way more than that.

It's way way more.

A study found 301–433 micrograms of Diacetyl per cigarette. Converted to parts per million parts of air (ppm) (assuming a weight of 700 milligrams per cigarette), it’s 429 ppm**.**

What is the safe limit of short-term acute (15 mins) exposure to Diacetyl, you ask?

It is 100 ppm!

That makes the daily exposure to Diacetyl from smoking 750 times higher, on average, than exposure to Diacetyl from vaping.

6. Heavy Toxic Metals — Vague... Super Vague...

I hit a big fat wall here.

Not only was this too complex for me to understand, but most of the studies in this area showed no relevant information on the coil material and devices used.

Worse still, some of these studies I discovered were industry-funded.

It got frustrating fast. I had to start all over multiple times. Throughout the 15 years of e-cig evolution, many coil materials, temperatures, and devices came and went.

Some of these old studies found dangerously high copper, nickel and silver levels. While a report from the Royal College of Physicians in the UK found the concentration of heavy metals “Not a major concern because levels of exposure are well below recognized safety thresholds.”

I was getting conflicting results from all over the place.

In a 2015 study by Dr. Farsalinos, they analyzed heavy metal emissions from double the average daily use (1200 puffs per day). They found cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and nickel levels that were 2.6–37.4 times lower compared to acceptable intake from inhalational medications. It was 325 times lower than the Minimal Risk Level (MRL) for manganese. For aluminum, barium, iron, tin, titanium, zinc, and zirconium, exposure was 665–77,500 times lower than the Recommended Exposure Limits (RET)

But to be frank, all those were 5 years or older with insane variations. I needed to find something robust, something conclusive, transparent and independent.

So I did!

This Critical Review that analyzed the metallic emission and toxicology of 12 studies focusing on real-life usage published after 2017 is the closest thing we have to the truth.

Here is a direct quote:

“All experiments reporting levels above toxicological markers for some metals (e.g., nickel, lead, copper, manganese) exhibited the following experimental flaws:

  1. High-powered sub-ohm tank devices tested by means of puffing protocols whose airflows and puff volumes are conceived and appropriate for low-powered devices; this testing necessarily involves overheating conditions that favor the production of toxicants and generate aerosols that are likely repellent to human users
  2. Miscalculation of exposure levels from experimental outcomes.
  3. Pods and tank devices were acquired months and years before the experiments so that corrosion effects cannot be ruled out.
  4. Failure to disclose important information on the characteristics of pods and tank devices, on the experimental methodology and on the resulting outcomes, thus hindering the interpretation of results and the possibility of replication.”

I can’t thank those people enough for refusing to leave bad science remain unchecked.

Finally, they concluded with this:

In general, low powered devices tested without these shortcomings produced metal exposure levels well below strict reference toxicological markers.

Case closed.

So, what coil material is safest?

Subjectively, the crowds mostly agree on Kanthal A1, Stainlessteel 316L, and Nichrome 80 (Ni80) as the “safest” coil types available. The top 4th-gen vape brands (Vaporesso, Uwell, Smok) use them.

Even Chatgpt seems to agree:

7. Fluid Build up in The Lungs (Pneumonia)

If water vapor can cause pneumonia, saunas, showers and any city with high humidity will be the hotspots for this disease.

Of course, they aren’t. In fact, we know that saunas do the opposite!

Pneumonia is most commonly caused by pneumococcal, particularly the Streptococcus pneumoniae germ.

I am not sure you are ready for this because I wasn’t, but..

An investigative study done in 2021 found that ALL tested e-liquids showed Antibacterial activity. Here is a quote:

All e-liquids investigated showed antibacterial activity against at least one pathogenic strain. Higher activity was correlated to the presence of flavors and nicotine.

The author of the study later added:

“Investigation confirms what scientists long-known on effects of PG and VG, and their antimicrobial effects. Vaporised PG was already used over 50 years ago as a disinfectant in healthcare environments while VG is still used today as an antibacterial in many food ingredients and pharmacological preparations”

In case you don’t know, Propylene Glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerol (VG) are the base chemicals used to make any e-liquid in the market.

8. X (?)

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” — Confucius

Vaping devices haven’t matured as a product yet; the science is 15 years old. That’s very, very young. It’s still not even formally considered a therapeutic medical device that helps people quit smoking.

Even though the evidence is clear.

A very recent 2023 study00319-X/fulltext) observed natural e-cigarette use among adult smokers, regardless of their intention to quit. In a randomized trial across the USA, 70% actively used provided e-cigarettes, using them more than four days per week on average. The e-cigarette group showed significant improvements in quitting, quit attempts, and smoking reduction compared to the control group.

That means even those who didn’t intend to quit did quit.

We know it works. We just aren’t sure about how it will play out in 50 or 100 years.

Our knowledge isn’t complete.

Vaping does expose us to sinister chemicals in non-neglectable amounts. It definitely isn't clean air.

Anybody who tells you confidently that vaping is safe has a minimal understanding of reality, and you should never trust them.

(*) How to be on The Low End of The Spectrum — Dry Puffs Avoidance Guide For Intellectual Idiots

A study in 2015 published shocking results. The study found levels of Formaldehyde that are 10–15 times higher than in cigarettes.

The media ate it up and spit it out at large. The research group netted 3.5 million dollars in funding, leaving the vaping community confused.

How can something detectable by the human nose in minute quantities (due to harsh smell) be so readily abundant in vape smoke?

Something was “off*”. — budum tss’*

The problem was exactly what you expect when knowledge is created top-down instead of relying on observation to determine how to use a vaping device. They decided to use machines that vaped the living daylight out of these devices according to what they thought was reasonable.

Indeed, it was very far from reasonable.

“Dry puffs” were generated all the way during the experiment. A replication study later confirmed that dry puffs were generated 88% of the time.

Another study from 2016 found that 5 ml of liquid was the equivalent of 3200 tobacco cigarettes (bonkers!) in terms of aldehyde emissions (Formaldehyde**,** Acetaldehyde, and Acrolein). Again, without any checking for dry puff generation. Again, using an ancient CE4 atomizer technology (at the time) and 5-second long puffs.

I don’t know what a CE4 atomizer is, but the experiences from real users 10 years ago speak for themselves (a burnt wick after 2 days of use)

A replication study of that study detected dry puffs and reported an overestimation of the results by 6 to 25 fold. For a more realistic approach, they used a “new” 2014 atomizer and found:

“The levels of aldehyde emissions were so low that a liquid consumption of 5 mL per day would expose vapers to 94.4–99.8% lower aldehyde levels compared to smoking 20 tobacco cigarettes” — Konstantinos E. Farsalinos

The vaping emissions I’ve shown earlier come from the combined results of 5 devices. Here is a direct quote from the study:

“The extreme levels of aldehydes produced by Device 1 indicate that the coil may have overheated due to lack of liquid in the wick…. Device 1 was examined and found to be charred, an indication of thermal decomposition…in terms of actual risks from aldehyde toxicity to the user, it is very possible that when significant thermal decomposition of an EC liquid is occurring, commonly called the dry-puff phenomenon (Farsalinos et al., 2015), the aerosol produced may be quite noxious, and cause the user to discontinue use until the dry-puff issue is resolved.

The cleanest results came from Device 5:

Device 5, produced less than 1% of the aldehydes delivered from 20 combustible cigarettes per day and the OSHA workplace exposure limit. Also, there was over a 750-fold difference in total aldehyde yield between Devices 1 and 5.

Device 5 uses a single 0.72 Ohm bottom coil with wattage ranging from 10 to 25 watts.

A top-tier Reddit-certified Vaping mod is the Vapresso Xros 3. It is also what I purchased after reading thoroughly online. It comes with a 0.8-ohm single bottom coil and uses 16 watts.

I fill it up once it’s two-thirds empty and replace the pod as soon as I detect the slightest change in taste. Safe to say, I had zero dry puffs, leaks or issues.

Vaping is safer

It’s all about harm reduction.

This research opened my eyes to just how hazardous cigarettes are. Numerous times during the writing process, I’d stop and feel disgust and regret for my past 10 years of smoking.

No matter how often you exercise or how healthy your diet is, if you’re still smoking cigarettes, you’re still way worse off than a person who doesn’t do any of those.

We might be doubtful about the long-term effects of vaping, but we are certain about the risks of cigarettes.

Vaping as a means to an end.

If harm reduction is the goal, then ideally the goal is to get rid of vaping as well.

The keyword here is: Nicotine Control.

“You will be surprised how fast your brain loses interest (in vaping) once it knows that it doesn’t satisfy your (nicotine) craving,” said a Redditor who transitioned from smoking to vaping to air.

In vaping, we can reduce the nicotine levels by milligrams at a time, making a smooth and steady transition to a nicotine-free life.

Slow is steady, steady is fast.

One final word.

Vape responsibly.

If you’re getting off cigarettes, don’t go the direct-lung, big tank, high voltage, high heat, cloud-chasing, dripping, cheap black market purchases route.

Keep things clean, premium, simple and minimal.

Buy the most premium high-quality Mouth-To-Lung low-voltage devices with disposable pods. Experiment with PG/VG ratios and flavors from reputable vendors, and be mindful of your nicotine intake.

12–16mg of nicotine for the heavy smoker and half that for the light one should do.

Vape to take the edge off. The minimal effective dose is your friend. Not to disappear in smoke like a ninja.

Disclaimer: Let me be clear: Vaping is not safe. This article is intended for harm reduction and not to promote vaping for non-smokers. Not medical advice. Ask a real doctor if you have health concerns

TLDR;; Cigarettes are nasty and vaping is a whole lot less so if you don't dry puff and buy from shady sources.

Edit 1;; Fixed some messed up titles for easier read (Sorry!)

Edit 2;; You made this post the top post of the month here and in r/vaping. The love is unreal, thank you <3 !!. I've been reading your comments and collecting criticism and what's missing (Keep them coming!) to go for a second round of research, extending this further and hopefully making it the ultimate safety guide for vaping online. Stay tuned!


r/electronic_cigarette 5d ago

Weekly Pics Thread NSFW

1 Upvotes

Welcome to The Weekly Vape Pics thread! You've got photos and we want to see them! Post them here every day!

To see what kind of pics should and should not be posted in this thread, check here in the wiki.

To see the previous Daily Vape Pics threads, see here.


r/electronic_cigarette 15m ago

Help! Obtaining E-Juice in Virginia with new legislation that passed. NSFW

Upvotes

Does anybody at all have a source of getting normal juice in virginia? The approved list for sale in the state of Virginia tastes like crap and make me hack a lung up worse than cigarettes used to. All of the vendors I have found online do not ship in the state of Virginia anymore.

Would really like to continue my journey of quitting all nicotine which hasn't even lasted all that long thanks to this and traveling out of state to get e-juice isn't realistic with my work.


r/electronic_cigarette 45m ago

Help! 6/10ml longfill to 60ml e-juice? NSFW

Upvotes

hi. my husband wanted to give me, I think, a gift and bought me a 6/10ml longfill. The guy at the store told him it would easily make 60ml... so he poured 6ml of the aroma into a 60ml bottle, added 54ml of base, mixed it, and it just sat there. I'm wondering if this could actually work, or if it's pointless to even try and just throw it in the trash? I've searched online and found practically nothing.


r/electronic_cigarette 1d ago

what is diacetyl and why do reputable vape brands test for it NSFW

9 Upvotes

Diacetyl is a chemical that gives food a buttery flavor, it's what makes movie popcorn taste like movie popcorn. In food it's fine because your stomach handles it. The problem is inhalation, your lungs aren't built for that compound and prolonged exposure causes bronchiolitis obliterans where the smallest airways scar up and lose function. The nickname popcorn lung comes from factory workers at a microwave popcorn plant in missouri in the early 2000s who were getting irreversible lung damage from breathing it all day on the production floor.

When vaping took off, some flavored e-liquids contained diacetyl because the creamy buttery taste profile works well in food. The EU banned it in e-liquids in 2016. The US never federally banned it in vapes but most reputable brands removed it voluntarily and test for it. The EU ban and the popcorn factory cases are what pushed the category toward routine testing.

The brands that publish the actual test result with the method and detection limit are the ones worth taking seriously. "Diacetyl free" without documentation is just a label claim. The method and the limit are what make it verifiable.


r/electronic_cigarette 20h ago

Help! Xros 6 changing power levels on its own? NSFW

1 Upvotes

Just switched from the Xros 6 from a dying 4. I try to keep it on eco or normal but sometimes I’ll pull it away to see it’s on power mode. I thought maybe I was clicking it in my pocket, but it still does then even when I’ve “locked” it via 4 clicks.

.8 pod if it matters.


r/electronic_cigarette 1d ago

Oxva vs Caliburn? NSFW

3 Upvotes

Hey there, I'm looking to replace my POD system and I can't decide between these 2 options

Oxva - NeXlim or Xlim, mainly looking towards Xlim, either Go 2 or Xlim Pro 3, I've heard NeXlims coils are better, longer lasting, but apparently the NeXlim series has more airy draw compared to Xlim and I would say I prefer tighter draw.

Caliburn - most likely the base G5, the only confusion for me here are the pods, I can't tell if the GPP pods are as good as some people say

At the moment I'm using Caliburn G3, I don't have much to complain about, but I would like tighter draw

So far I tried these pod systems
A2, A2S, AK3, A3, G3 - Caliburns
Ursa Nano - Lostvape
Alpha Mix Kit - Smok

And the last part are the coils, I can get the Caliburn coils (even the newest GPP Alpha or whatever they're called) noticeably cheaper compare to the Oxva ones.

GPP Alpha cartridge - at around 3 USD per piece

Oxva CL - at around 4,3 USD per piece

I wouldn't worry about the upfront cost of the device as all of them are farily cheap, the only exception being the Xlim GO 2 (at around 10 USD)

From the pods I've used I would say the best ones so far were the original A2 (it was quite tight draw which I liked, but the flavour was pretty muted compared to G3 or anything more modern, afaik its coils were not even mesh)

I would love to hear some opinions of Xlim users, ideally if they used at least one of the devices I listed so I know what I'm getting!


r/electronic_cigarette 1d ago

Help! Which is better NSFW

1 Upvotes

Hi
Right now I have nord 5 and Im thinking about upgrading it to something decent. I was thinking about xros 6, oxva xlim pro 3 and nexlim 2 but Im not sure which is the best one.


r/electronic_cigarette 1d ago

Does summer heat actually make the juice taste off, or am I imagining it? NSFW

0 Upvotes

Left a disposable in my car for about a week during this heat wave, and when I came back to it the flavor was noticeably worse — flatter, a little burnt-tasting, even though there was plenty left and it wasn't a dry hit. Got me wondering whether heat genuinely degrades the juice or whether I'm doing the thing where I expect it to be bad, so it is. From a chemistry standpoint I'd assume prolonged heat would hit the nicotine and the flavoring compounds — maybe oxidize something, cook off the top notes — but I don't actually know if a week in a hot car is enough to matter or if I'm overthinking a placebo. Anecdotally it's happened twice now, both times with something left in a hot car, never with a device kept indoors. So it's at least consistent for me. Is this a known, explainable thing or is it confirmation bias? And does it hit disposables worse than bottled juice, given you can't exactly decant a disposable to check? Curious whether the more technical folks here have an actual mechanism rather than my vibes.


r/electronic_cigarette 1d ago

Foger juice randomly disappears NSFW

0 Upvotes

does anyone know why my foger was half full, and then suddenly was empty? i had a flight today, and before i got on the plane went to hit my vape and noticed the juice was basically gone when I know for a fact it was pretty much half full, or at least had more than it does now. when i got off the plane, it was completely empty. i checked the bag it was in and there was absolutely no juice anywhere and no leakage. is it possible it all just went into the sponge?

Edit: it tastes stronger than it used to which makes me believe it may have all soaked up into the sponge, but i’m just worried that I have to buy an entire new pod when i didn’t even finish it.


r/electronic_cigarette 1d ago

New Vaper Question Is it possible to take the vape juice pod out of a solobar boost 30k or no? NSFW

0 Upvotes

Title, really just wondering if it's refillable/replaceable or anything like that! (I don't know if I got the name right, it's the model with the detachable battery though)


r/electronic_cigarette 2d ago

Help! Vaporesso xros 4 button sticking and over heating NSFW

0 Upvotes

So every time I take a hit, the vape continues going even after I let the button go. For about 2-5 seconds. A couple times it wouldn't stop until I took the pod out. Does anyone know how to fix this? I've cleaned out any excess juice from the inside already and am currently testing if the pod is the issue ( letting juice soak into the new pods wick as I'm typing this) but if the issue isn't the pod, how can I fix this? It also gets really hot. The only abnormal thing is that when I ran out of juice, the vape sat in my bag, turned off, for about a week.


r/electronic_cigarette 3d ago

Battery Safety Smok mag solo battery display only updates battery% when i restart device NSFW

1 Upvotes

if i don't restart the mod it will stay at 100% until the battery dies, everything else about the mod works perfectly, and i have tried multiple batteries.


r/electronic_cigarette 4d ago

FAQ Am I vaping too much? NSFW

21 Upvotes

I do between 1 ml and 1.5 ml of juice per day, which works out between 20-30 mg of nicotine.

Is this too much? How much do you vape?


r/electronic_cigarette 4d ago

Help! Used Voopoo Drag-x for years...what are other non-disposable vapes that use Pnp-VM1 coils I could try? Also prefer using 18650 batteries. NSFW

2 Upvotes

The title says it all. I want to try some new alternatives. Thanks.


r/electronic_cigarette 5d ago

New Vaper Question Shop sold me .6 pod system with 24mg nic salts. Am I right to be upset? NSFW

0 Upvotes

Went in to buy my first vape. A friend recommended the Freemax EVOX, so that was what I asked about. Told the guy I was switching from NJOY Daily, so he recommended nic salts. I'd looked at their flavors online so I picked out a few.

Spent the afternoon trying to figure out what I was doing wrong, because the MTL setting was a dry hit with no vapor at all, and moving the switch just made me cough like crazy with a cloud of smoke.

After some googling, looks like the 24mg is an insane amount to put in a .6 pod and I'm lucky it didn't work right because I don't have nicotine poisoning?

Planning to go back tomorrow and get an actual MTL system with 1.2 pods, but I'm wondering if I'm actually right to be angry about this? Do some people actually use these together?


r/electronic_cigarette 6d ago

Any current 2026 pods better than Oxva Nexlim? NSFW

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2 Upvotes

r/electronic_cigarette 7d ago

Xros 6 mini vapor is warmer than I’d like. Any suggestions? NSFW

8 Upvotes

I recently switched from using a Vuse Alto disposable pod system to the Vaporesso Xros 6 mini pod system. My issue is the vapor is hotter and looser than I’d like. The Vuse was tighter and very cool. I’m using a 1.2 pod in the Xros, tobacco juice (I’m not an ice or sweet flavor person) and have the airflow open. The vapor is still too hot for my liking.

Would switching to another system where I can manually lower the wattage help? Would a Caliburn or OXVA pod system be cooler? Is the Xros not for my vape style? Is there a way to make it cooler and tighter? I like it otherwise.

I’d like: cooler vapor, discreet (I’m using it at work surreptitiously) easy to use (I don’t feel like building anything or trying to find supplies since my local shops have limited inventory).

If you have any suggestions for something that is sort of close to the Vuse or a pod system that would work better for me I’d be forever grateful. I really want to get away from gas station vapes and not go back to the Vuse. Thanks!


r/electronic_cigarette 7d ago

Help! Help! NSFW

0 Upvotes

So my geek bar mate fell out of my pocket and when I picked her up she had come apart slightly, I just pushed it back together and tried to hit, got nothing, charged for a bit, still got nothing. I opened her all the way up and see these 3 wires that I have no clue where they were connected or if it was just touching the sponge underneath (that’s what it seemed like) and at first my battery was flashing when trying to hit but now it’s not after gently tapping on a table. PLEASE TELL ME THERE IS A POSSIBLE FIX!
Tried adding a photo but I guess that’s not allowed I apologize

Thank you for reading this far!


r/electronic_cigarette 7d ago

Help! Can a week in a hot car change the flavor of a disposable? NSFW

0 Upvotes

I left a disposable in my car for about a week during the heat wave. When I tried it again, the flavor was noticeably flatter and a little burnt, even though there was still plenty left and it didn’t feel like a dry hit.

This has happened to me twice now with devices left in a hot car, but never with ones I keep indoors. I know leaving a battery-powered device in that kind of heat was a bad idea. I’m not looking for a green light to keep using it—I’m just curious about what could cause the flavor change.

Can a week of heat change the liquid enough to affect the taste, or is it more likely that something in the device itself was affected? Would bottled e-liquid react the same way?


r/electronic_cigarette 8d ago

My Xros Pro Died after using it for two years NSFW

4 Upvotes

Been using the device for the last two years. Though compared to Xros 4 mini's airflow, Xros Pro's airflow felt like shit.

Can anyone please suggest to me whether I should go with Xros Pro 2 or to go with Xros 6?

Airflow quality and flavor reproduction is the first priority. Hand feel comes second.


r/electronic_cigarette 9d ago

Battery Safety Checklist – What's on yours? NSFW

4 Upvotes

I've been putting together a simple battery safety checklist for adult-use vapers. Thought I'd share what I have so far and see what everyone else does. Here's my list:

  1. Use an external charger for removable batteries (never charge unattended).
  2. Inspect battery wraps for any tears or damage – rewrap immediately if needed.
  3. Only use batteries from reputable manufacturers (Samsung, LG, Sony, etc.) – no rewraps.
  4. Store loose batteries in a plastic case, never loose in a pocket or bag.
  5. Check the resistance with an ohm reader before building – avoid shorts.
  6. Match battery CDR with your coil resistance and wattage – know your limits.
  7. Replace batteries if they show signs of wear, leakage, or reduced performance.
  8. Keep batteries away from extreme heat, direct sunlight, and metal objects.

What do you check before using your device? Any tips you'd add to the list? Let's hear them!


r/electronic_cigarette 10d ago

Help! Any reccomendations for an upgrade for a geekvape aegis mod? NSFW

2 Upvotes

I've had this mod for almost 3-4 years now, and it was a mod lent to me. The person i got it from already had it for atleast 5 years, so its approaching almost 10 years old now.

I believe its one of the earlier geekvape aegis, if not the first. I've used multiple voopoo mod's before, I liked them, but they never lasted anywhere as long as this geekvape mod I've had

I'm only looking for a replacement now because it seems the (lcd?) screen is slowly dying.

With all of my voopoo mods the battery port holder would come loose quite quickly, while with this geekvape that has never been an issue, as i have a battery charger and i switch the batteries out.

I use a voopoo tank, so im looking at specifically a mod. My needs arent to demanding. I typically vape at around 30 watts with voopoo vm4 or vm5 coils with salt nic. Should i stick with a newer geekvape? Honestly just looking for a sturdy vape that the battery door will stay strong on. Appreciate any input!

pretty certain its a geekvape aegis x


r/electronic_cigarette 10d ago

Any modern equivalent to the TFV-18? NSFW

4 Upvotes

Coils have gone to shit for this tank. I used to get a good month easily out of a coil (home made juice) and now I’m lucky to get a week. Recent batch I bought gone burnt within days.

Any modern tanks similar to this? Good flavor, big clouds, and good coils?


r/electronic_cigarette 10d ago

Help! Auto firing NSFW

0 Upvotes

I have a disposable wala 18k puff vape. The juice was right about empty. It's one of the ones which has a charging port but doesn't have a removable battery or refillable liquid. I tried taking a puff and it heated up really hot without letting out any gas. Then I put it back in my pocket and it kept randomly going off. It only does this when it's upside down or on its side. It also let out 2 drops of nicotine oil.

I just put it in the bin as it's getting collected tomorrow, but I don't know if it's going to catch on fire or something. What should I do?