'Throat hit' is a unique concept only really understood by smokers - it's the little punch that you get after drawing in a mouthful of smoke just as you begin to inhale. You might not have known there was a name for it, as it's something smokers rarely consider. It does, however, become a big deal if you're making the switch from smoking to vaping.

Throat hit can play a significant role in transitioning from smoking to vaping. Not all vapor products or vape juice deliver the same punch as a combustible cigarette. While many ex-smokers come to enjoy smoother inhales from vaping devices, it's not uncommon in the beginning that something just won't feel “right” about vaping if you can't get a good throat hit.

For many ex-smokers, the throat hit is part of the appeal that keeps bringing them back to cigarettes, and the better that a vaping device mimics the sensation of smoking, the less likely they’ll revert to the real thing. The choice of a vape juice, a starter kit, pods, or a cigalike delivering the throat hit right is at least part of the reason why many ex-smokers convert from smoking to vaping, and never look back.

Don’t worry! This is a common issue that many ex-smokers and aspiring quitters need to address, and there are steps you can take to get a better throat hit. Here we’ll take a deep dive into throat hit and a few solutions to help you get the punch you need.

Higher Nicotine E-Liquids

Nicotine is the substance in e-liquid that delivers most of the throat hit, so it follows that more nicotine means more throat hit. For higher-powered vape mods, you might consider a traditional nicotine strength of 6 or 12 milligrams per milliliter of liquid. For lower-power devices like pod mods or vape pens, you might even try 18 mg/ml or higher.

We'll note here that if your liquid uses salt-based nicotine, it's been designed specifically to produce smoother draws with a higher nicotine content. For this reason, you can get salt-based nicotine in 40, 50, or even 60 mg/ml strength that will vape about the same as an 18 or 24 nic level using traditionally extracted nicotine. Nic levels this high, however, aren't safe to use in big, cloud-producing mods and are intended only for lower-output subcompact devices.

Any reputable e-liquid will have the nicotine content clearly marked on its packaging, making it easy to select the strength that's right for you. Make sure to pick the kind that you prefer or, if what you need is more, upgrade to a stronger juice. You might even consider buying two bottles of the same flavor in different strengths, blending them to get the dose that's right for you.

Higher PG Blends

There are two main base ingredients in e-liquid that are combined with nicotine extract and flavorings: propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG). Both are nearly neutral flavor-wise, offering only a slight sweetness to liquids.

PG, however, is believed to have slightly more bite when vaporized, contributing to creating throat hit. While many traditional liquids in recent years have trended toward using a VG-heavy blend because it creates smooth, large clouds, you might consider seeking out a 50/50 or PG-dominant mix if throat hit is something you're going for instead.

Device Tweaks

Another method of improving throat hit is by adjusting your device to suit your vaping style.

The first tweak is to decrease your airflow so that you receive denser, more concentrated clouds of vapor. The denser vapor will contain a higher concentration of both nicotine and PG than a thinner cloud, thus affecting the throat hit. Tight airflow is also more conducive to the mouth-to-lung draw style used by cigarette smokers than the looser direct-lung style associated with longtime vapers no longer seeking a strong throat hit.

A second adjustment is to increase your device's power or temperature. A higher power level will produce more vapor, naturally packing a stronger punch. A warmer vape, meanwhile, has a similar effect when employed on a temperature-control mod. Note these options are mainly targeted at advanced mod users and may not be available on beginner or compact devices.

We hope these options will help you to dial in the right throat hit to create the perfect personal vaping experience. Check out Breazy’s vast library of vaping resources here.