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Beginner

Calumette offers you a selection of electronic cigarettes and e-liquids to help you get started vaping.

E-cigarette for beginner

E-liquid for beginner

Beginner's guide

Everything you need to know to get started with the electronic cigarette.

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Why the e-cigarette rather than another smoking cessation method? The electronic cigarette allows nicotine to be diffused without combustion, tar or carbon monoxide, while retaining the gesture, the passage down the throat of the vapor, as would tobacco smoke. Another important factor is the social aspect: when we stop smoking, we've all experienced smoking breaks, and they can quickly become an ordeal. The electronic cigarette provides a transition to stop smoking and can be combined with other methods to increase your chances of a life without tobacco.

The e-cigarette

The electronic cigarette is a device that vaporises liquid at a temperature of around 50°C. It consists of a battery and a tank (known as the"clearomizer") in which a heating coil produces the vapor.

They come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and wattages. To get off to a good start with vaping, it's essential to choose simple equipment that will enable you to get off to a good start without any constraints. You can even find models with pre-filled clearomizers so you don't have to worry about changing coils or refilling. At Calumette we've pre-selected the items that are best suited to beginners, to make things as simple as possible.

When making your choice, don't forget that battery life is an essential factor. Running out of battery power at the end of the day can be extremely unpleasant, especially if you can't recharge it. If you're looking for a compact model with less than 1000 mAh of capacity, we recommend that you have a spare battery to last at least a day, or a powerbank so you can charge it anywhere.

E-liquids

The "e-liquid" is the liquid that you put in your electronic cigarette, and which is transformed into vapor. There are a multitude of liquids available on the market. To start with, we advise you to use the simplest liquids possible, a "Classic" flavour (= a taste similar to tobacco), a mint flavour or a fruit flavour.

Complex liquids (combinations of several flavours) such as caramel + pistachios + green apple and orange zest should be avoided at all costs when starting out. A smoker's sense of taste is muted by tobacco, and when you stop smoking, your taste buds will start to work again, and a liquid can very quickly become unpalatable. A maximum of two flavours, no more.

E-liquids contain only :

  • PG (Propylene Glycol)
  • VG (Vegetable Glycerin)
  • Flavours
  • Nicotine (except for nicotine-free liquids)

It's best to start with e-liquids containing no more than 50% VG (refer to the e-liquid guide). VG produces a lot of vapor but is also very thick and is not suitable for most beginner e-cigarettes if its strength is too high. Now all you have to do is choose your e-liquid according to your taste!

Nicotine

Nicotine is not carcinogenic!
Nicotine is a major factor in smoking cessation. In eliquids, it gives you the sensation of going down your throat and gives your body the dose it needs. However, nicotine is released much more slowly with an electronic cigarette than with a conventional cigarette. For example, with a "killing cigarette", the nicotine is absorbed in around 5 minutes, whereas it takes between 30 and 45 minutes with a vape device.

Nicotine dependence is largely caused by the "shoot" effect of tobacco (very rapid absorption). So it's very important to have a fairly high nicotine strength to start with, whether you're a "light" or "heavy" smoker. Otherwise, it will take far too long to achieve satiety, and you'll find yourself craving more. A liquid with 16 mg/ml nicotine is the most suitable dose to start with.

Nicotine can slightly irritate the respiratory tract (especially the larynx) because, unlike tobacco, there are no additives to mask it. So when you first start vaping, you need to inhale slowly and break down the inhale properly, and this irritation usually disappears within 24 hours.

We advise against lowering your nicotine dosage too quickly. Take your time and adjust your nicotine strength according to the situation. For example, an evening out with friends requires a little more nicotine than a simple evening reading a book. If you listen to your body, you'll be able to stop smoking quickly.

The hit

The hit is the contraction of the larynx as the vapor passes through the throat, producing an effect similar to that of cigarette smoke. This effect is largely due to the nicotine strength. The higher the strength, the stronger the hit.

Propylene glycol (PG) amplifies this effect slightly. If you're intolerant of a hit that's too strong (coughing), we advise you to take liquids with nicotine salts, which have a very low hit at high nicotine strengths (refer to the guide: nicotine salts).

Type of inhalation

Indirect inhalation clearomizers are strongly recommended for beginner vapers.

Indirect inhalation means that the vapor is first inhaled into the mouth and then sucked into the lungs (in two stages), reproducing the way tobacco smoke is inhaled. For an inexperienced vaper, the vapor may cause coughing on the first few puffs. This is normal, because unlike a 'killing cigarette', e-liquids don't contain any chemicals to stop you coughing. At the beginning, we advise you to break down your inhalation properly, not to inhale too hard or too fast. After a few puffs, the cough will disappear on its own.

Direct inhalation means that the vapor passes directly into the lungs. It produces a lot of vapour. You can switch to direct inhalation after a few months if you wish.

Choosing your equipment

Depending on your cigarette consumption

If you smoke a lot a day (15/20), you should choose equipment with a high-capacity tank and a long-life battery (> 2000 mAh).

If you don't smoke as much (< 10 cigarettes), you may prefer a more compact model, but bear in mind that a battery failure at the end of the day could jeopardise your plans to stop smoking.

Depending on your cigarettes

For blond cigarettes, a kit or clearomizer with a tight (low airflow) to airy (higher airflow) vape will be perfect.
For rolled cigarettes or cigarillos, on the other hand, clearomizers with a tight to very tight vape are preferable.

The clearomizer

Any type of clearomizer will do, but they must be for indirect inhalation.

The battery

There are a multitude of shapes and sizes, but we advise you not to stop at the design and instead take into account the autonomy.

Advice

It's always difficult to choose your first equipment. If you have any questions or doubts, we encourage you to contact us by email or chat, and we'll be happy to help you get started!

FAQ

Which e-liquid should I choose to start with?

As simple as possible, one or two flavours maximum per bottle. Complex e-liquids can quickly become unpalatable and put you off vaping. Don't forget that when you stop smoking, your taste buds start to work again and after a few days the flavours become more intense. Avoid e-liquids with VG concentrations >50%, as they are usually too thick for indirect inhalation and don't have a strong enough nicotine dose.

What nicotine strength should I use to start?

To start with, the strongest you can tolerate without coughing, whether you're smoking 10 cigarettes a day or 20.

16 mg/ml is the perfect strength to start with and test. If you don't smoke much, then you'll be vaping considerably less than someone who smokes a packet a day.

When should I lower my nicotine strength?

First of all, there's no obligation to lower your nicotine strength. Nicotine is not dangerous (except in very high doses), and has an exciting effect similar to caffeine, with the added effect of being highly addictive. But if after quitting smoking you want to quit nicotine, that's fine too.

We consider that after 6 months without tobacco, you can begin a very gradual and slow reduction in nicotine strength (count on a reduction every 3-4 months; if you go too fast, you'll go back to smoking...). You may also need to adjust your strength depending on the situation. A drink with friends inevitably requires more nicotine than a Sunday stroll.

How can I stop coughing with every puff?

Your airways have been damaged by years of smoking... Smokers often have permanent inflammation of the larynx. You need to break down your aspiration by breathing in more slowly, and this usually disappears after 24 hours. You could even try nicotine salt e-liquids, which don't cause a hit and are a very good solution for beginners. Be careful, every cigarette you smoke reactivates the inflammation.

I'm still smoking 2 cigarettes a day despite using vape. How can I quit completely?

You're on the right track, but you need a little more nicotine to give up completely. You'll either need to increase the nicotine strength in your e-liquid, or if you're maxed out, add a nicotine patch at the highest dose to make up the shortfall.

Also remember to vape BEFORE you feel the need to smoke. That way, throughout the day, you'll put off the urge to smoke. And when the evening comes, you won't have smoked a single cigarette :-)

Why do e-cigarettes give me mouth ulcers?

Without tobacco, the immune system is less stressed and small ailments such as mouth ulcers can appear. You need to make sure you clean your drip tip regularly with an antiseptic product. If it persists, it may be a case of intolerance to propylene glycol, so try Vegetol e-liquid.

I stopped smoking a few days ago and I'm coughing all the time, why?

This is a common phenomenon when you stop smoking. The bronchial cilia are no longer exposed to tar and reactivate, as do the mucous membranes, so the body evacuates toxins by coughing up fat. It's unpleasant but disappears within 1 to 2 weeks.

I want to vape in 0 mg because I think my addictionl is based on the gesture, is this a good idea?

It's a very common misconception to think that switching to nicotine-free vaping will wean you off tobacco, but it's not true. Without nicotine, you'll have the feel and the vapor, but no nicotine satiety. You'll feel like you're vaping thin air and there's a nervous risk that you'll smoke a lot between each vape and end up putting your vaporiser in the cupboard. You can try it, but if you feel like smoking, it's not just the act that's a problem. Nicotine is highly addictive, but it's not toxic (except in very high doses), so don't hesitate to use it to help you.

I want to take an e-liquid with a taste I don't like to give up smoking quickly, but is an electronic cigarette a good idea?

It's a bad idea because you risk going back to your killing cigarettes very quickly and your e-cigarette will end up in the cupboard. With a vape, you can stop smoking and enjoy yourself at the same time! First of all, deal with your addiction to tobacco, and then you can gradually lower your nicotine strength and stop using e-cigarette if you wish.

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