Nicotine-free e-liquids, as the name suggests, are vape e-liquids that do not contain nicotine in them. E-liquids contain four major ingredients and those are PG, VG, nicotine, and food-grade flavourings. Nicotine-free e-liquids contain all the elements with the exception of nicotine. These types of e-liquids are commonly called short-fill e-liquids and they play a very important role in the quitting journey of an ex-smoker. Vaping, is itself, an extremely beneficial aid for those who’re looking for a smoking quitting tool, and with the added benefits of nicotine-free vape, it becomes a powerful avenue to lead a healthier lifestyle. In the UK vape products and vaping are also supported by public health England, which states that it is 95% safer than smoking cigarettes. But let’s dig deep into what you need to know about nicotine and nicotine-free e-liquids.

What Is Nicotine?

Nicotine is an addictive substance, that’s derived from tobacco. It is present in cigarettes and acts as a stimulant that releases neurotransmitters and helps regulate emotions. In 2017, a research study was released that showed that big tobacco companies were consciously making efforts to get people hooked on smoking cigarettes. They made attempts like modifying tobacco crops to double the amount of nicotine in them, and also added extra chemicals into their products to increase the effects and potency of cigarettes. The resulting nicotine delivery increased the chances of developing nicotine addiction and also kept people dependent on cigarettes.

What Causes Nicotine Withdrawal?

Since the potency of cigarettes is so much in intensity, quitting them induces a series of symptoms called nicotine withdrawal. These symptoms are more or less similar to caffeine in their addictive chemistry but their effects are much stronger. We as humans have a lot of nicotine receptors in our central nervous system, and they are present there whether or not you smoke. But when a person starts smoking, these receptors get unblocked and start filling in the space. When we cut down on nicotine, the unblocking process reduces which gives rise to nicotine withdrawal. This phenomenon also shares its functions and effects with opiates.

When these receptors get unblocked till either the body regains its natural ways of filling – which takes around 15 to 20 days – or is filled by nicotine again, a vibration effect happens which creates physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms including mood swings, irritability, insomnia, headache, etc. Nicotine and Opiates are pretty unique so far as the human CNS is concern, in that we have receptors naturally waiting to be unblock and fill with them.

Why Do E-Liquids Contain Nicotine?

As explained above, nicotine withdrawal symptoms are a thing and they can take a toll on your mental and physical well-being. The intensity and duration of these withdrawals can vary from person to person and it’s not necessary that every person feels the same type of withdrawals. You could experience the bare minimum or you could have a full-fledged meltdown; it completely depends upon your previous nicotine consumption level.

When you quit cigarettes, for the first few days, you will start craving a hit and after a while, your appetite level will normalize which ensues in mood swings and irritability. During day three, headaches are a pretty common occurrence because the nicotine inside your system flushes. As days pass by, the withdrawal symptoms might worsen or begin to wean, depending on person to person, but the cravings are usually hard to cope up with. This is however the case with people who decide to go cold turkey. Cold turkey is a quitting method that refers to abruptly cutting nicotine out of your life and it gives rise to withdrawal symptoms. However, vaping eliminates nicotine withdrawal and helps you wean yourself off of nicotine in an extremely easy way. E-liquids are available in a variety of nicotine strengths ranging from 0mg to 20mg which helps people curb their nicotine intake in gradual steps.

How Can Nicotine-Free E-Liquids Help You Quit?

Cutting nicotine out of your life with the help of vaping is a step-by-step process and it requires conscious efforts and monitoring, but it doesn’t entail the difficulties that come with other quitting methods. As a smoker, during the initial stages of your quitting journey, you would do anything to quench your cravings and they can be extremely difficult to deal with. Vaping precisely helps you to give way to your cravings in a harmless way, by removing the effects of toxic chemicals and carcinogens that get release upon burning a cigarette. It also allows you to tweak your nicotine intake and slowly decrease it as your cravings and addiction level decrease.

You start off with the highest level of nicotine as per your need and come down to the lowest level available or 0mg of nicotine. Once you reach the point where you no longer need nicotine in your e-liquid, you are ready to quit vaping without experiencing any nicotine withdrawal. When you stop using nicotine inside your e-liquids, your nicotine receptors go back to their normal state. As they were when you were a non-smoker and your body no longer needs nicotine to regulate your emotions and behavior. Vaping not only helps you with the physical dependency but also the psychological dependency. It’s an extremely beneficial and effective tool to quit smoking and kick nicotine out of your life.