8 | Vapers and E-Cigarettes FAQ

The answer is not “the lowest possible” from day one, but the lowest strength that allows you to replace combustible cigarettes without falling short. If you choose too little nicotine at the beginning, vaping may not feel enough and you may return to tobacco.

Nicotine is addictive and you may want to reduce it over time, but at the beginning it has a clear role: helping you move away from combustion. Start with a realistic strength, then adjust.

General guide based on previous smoking:

• 0 mg: for users who no longer use nicotine. If you do not smoke, do not start vaping.
• 3 mg: maintenance, occasional smokers or larger-vapour devices.
• 6 mg: moderate smokers or users looking for a more marked freebase nicotine experience.
• 10 mg nicotine salts: medium/high smokers using low-power pods.
• 12 mg freebase: heavier smokers looking for a classic throat hit.
• 18 mg freebase: heavy smokers needing a more cigarette-like throat sensation.
• 20 mg nicotine salts: maximum strength allowed in the EU for nicotine e-liquids; useful for adult smokers with high dependence and suitable devices.

There are three main ways to vape:

• MTL, mouth to lung: you first draw the vapour into the mouth and then inhale. It is the closest draw to a traditional cigarette and is usually the best starting point.
• DL, direct lung: a deeper direct inhalation. It produces more vapour and uses higher-power devices, lower-resistance coils and higher-VG liquids.
• Mouth-only draw: vapour stays in the mouth and is exhaled without inhaling. It is less common in vaping.

For beginners, a soft, slow and controlled draw is usually best. You do not need to pull hard: pulling too strongly may cause leaks, bubbling or liquid in the mouth.

Coughing at the beginning is common because vaping is not inhaled in the same way as smoking. Vapour, PG, nicotine and draw style can all feel unusual during the first days.

The most common causes are nicotine strength too high, too much power, drawing too hard, unsuitable coil or sensitivity to PG. Try longer and softer puffs, lower power if your device allows it, or use a higher-resistance coil for a smoother experience.

The answer depends on national law, regional rules and the rules of each establishment or venue. In Spain, the legal reference must always be checked in the Official State Gazette and in the regulations of the autonomous community where you are.

In September 2025, the Spanish Ministry of Health announced a draft bill to modify Law 28/2005, extend smoke-free spaces and regulate tobacco-related products more strictly, including e-cigarettes. Until a modification is approved and officially published, it should be treated as a legislative process and not as current law.

A coil should be changed when flavour drops, vapour decreases, strange taste appears, leaks become frequent or the draw turns harsh. There is no universal exact lifespan.

Lifespan depends on liquid type, power, frequency of use, draw style and maintenance. With normal use, it can vary greatly. Very sweet, dark, icy or intense liquids usually dirty coils faster.

Important: a new coil must be primed. Fill the tank and wait 5-10 minutes before vaping. If you fire a dry coil, the cotton can burn in seconds.

It depends on the type of device and how it is cared for. A vaping device includes several parts: battery, tank or pod, coils/cartridges and seals.

• Battery: loses autonomy with charging cycles, impacts, heat and misuse.
• Coil or cartridge: is a consumable and must be replaced periodically.
• Atomizer or pod: can last a long time if it is not dropped, not soaked and kept clean.

Good maintenance extends device life. Water, impacts, dirt and unsuitable chargers shorten it.

Each device is designed to use specific coils, pods or cartridges. The most important rule is to always use replacements compatible with your exact model. At VapVip, we list compatible replacements on product pages whenever they are confirmed.

You can check the coils, cartridges and pods category and filter by brand or model.

Quick ohm guide:

• Below 0.3 ohm: high power, more vapour, DL draw, higher-VG liquids and low nicotine.
• Between 0.3 and 1 ohm: medium power, RDL draw, balance between vapour, flavour and throat hit.
• Above 1 ohm: low power, MTL draw, more discreet vapour, more marked throat hit and better fit with 50/50 liquids or salts in suitable pods.

Always use the manufacturer’s recommended power range and start from the lower end of that range.

It depends on how much you vape, the device and power. A low-power pod uses far less liquid than a high-performance sub-ohm device.

As a general reference, many users consume between 2 and 5 ml per day, although it can vary widely. At the beginning, it is common to vape more while replacing the cigarette ritual and adjusting flavour, draw and nicotine.

Unlike a cigarette, you are not forced to finish a fixed unit: you can take a few puffs and stop.

No e-liquid tastes exactly like a specific tobacco brand. Burnt tobacco involves combustion, tar and smoke; a tobacco e-liquid aims for an aromatic tobacco profile, not a copy of smoke.

At the beginning, many adult smokers fit better with dry tobaccos, nutty tobaccos or slightly sweet tobaccos. Over time, taste often evolves towards cleaner, fruity or fresh profiles.

Some popular VapVip options:

• Apache by Atmos Lab: dry tobacco with a nutty base.
• Camila / Desert Car: drier and more marked profile.
• First Pick: Virginia-style tobacco.
• Bebeca and Tribeca: tobacco with a sweet and creamy nuance.
• RY4 and RY69: tobacco with caramel, vanilla or nuts.

View all tobacco flavours at VapVip

E-liquids can be classified by flavour, format, nicotine and PG/VG ratio.

By flavour: tobacco, fruit, drinks and sweets, and fresh or menthol.

By format:

• 10 ml: ready-to-vape liquid, with or without nicotine depending on the product.
• ShortFill: larger nicotine-free bottle to complete with a nicokit when needed.
• LongFill: concentrated flavour in a larger bottle to complete with base and nicotine when needed.
• Nicokit: nicotine shot used to prepare ShortFills or LongFills.

By PG/VG: more PG usually means thinner liquid and a more marked throat hit; more VG produces more vapour and a denser texture.

When a vape bubbles or spits liquid, there is usually excess liquid in the coil or accumulated condensation. It is not unusual and can usually be fixed.

• Remove the pod or cartridge if the model allows it.
• Clean the mouthpiece, airflow channel and contact area with dry paper.
• If flooded, wrap the airflow area with tissue and gently blow through the mouthpiece without activating the device.
• Reassemble and try softer puffs.

To prevent it, avoid drawing too hard, do not overfill the tank and replace the consumable if it is already worn.

An occasional drop may simply be condensation. A constant leak indicates a problem: flooded coil, badly closed cartridge, damaged seal, liquid too thin or worn consumable.

• Clean the base and contacts.
• Check that the tank is properly closed.
• Check that the coil or cartridge is correctly installed.
• Replace the consumable if the leak continues.
• Use a liquid better suited to your coil if the current one is too thin.

Burnt taste usually comes from a dry, poorly primed or worn coil, too much power or liquid that is too thick for that coil.

If the cotton is already burnt, it cannot recover. Replace the coil, pod or cartridge and prime the new replacement correctly before using it.

The first point is clear: it is not smoke, it is aerosol or vapour. In an electronic cigarette there is no tobacco combustion; the device heats a liquid and generates vapour to inhale.

An e-liquid usually contains propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavourings and nicotine if the product includes it. This does not mean “risk-free”, but it is a major difference from combustible tobacco smoke, which comes from burning organic matter and carries thousands of substances generated by combustion.

Smoking one pack a day can mean a very high monthly cost. Vaping is usually cheaper in the medium term, although it depends on the device, liquid type, daily consumption and replacements.

But the main argument should not be cost alone. For an adult smoker, the important point is leaving combustion behind. Vaping is understood as a harm-reduction alternative to combustible tobacco, not as a harmless product.

Vapour may smell slightly like the flavour being used, but it does not smell like tobacco smoke. It usually disperses faster and does not leave the persistent smell typical of combustion.

Even so, vaping must be done respectfully. A lighter smell does not mean you should vape where it bothers other people or where it is prohibited.

A quality electronic cigarette, bought through a reliable channel and used correctly, includes electronic protections. Like any device with a lithium battery, it must be handled with common sense.

• Do not get it wet.
• Do not drop it.
• Do not tamper with internal parts.
• Do not use unsuitable chargers.
• Do not charge it if it is damaged or overheats abnormally.

Buy devices from recognised brands and avoid unknown-origin products.

Yes, and this is known as dual use. But it must be understood correctly: if you continue smoking, you remain exposed to combustion. This is why the greatest harm-reduction benefit is achieved when an adult smoker fully replaces combustible tobacco.

That said, every cigarette replaced by vaping can be a useful step if your goal is to stop smoking. Some people switch completely from day one, while others reduce gradually. The important point is to move towards leaving combustion behind, not remaining indefinitely in dual use.

If you return to cigarettes because vaping does not feel enough, review nicotine strength, device type, coil, liquid and draw style. Often the problem is not “vaping”, but a poor setup.