How many cigarettes is your vape?
Put in the strength and size printed on the box. Most people guess far lower than the answer.
About 2 packs, estimated.
How it is worked out: liquid × strength = total nicotine. Cigarettes ≈ total nicotine ÷ 2.4 mg, scaled from research on a 5% pod holding 39–48 mg of nicotine, which delivered about as much nicotine as 18 cigarettes (Prochaska, Vogel and Benowitz, Tobacco Control, 2021). Real intake varies with the device, how often you puff and how deeply.
How it is worked out: liquid × strength = total nicotine. Cigarettes ≈ total nicotine ÷ 2.4 mg, scaled from research on a 5% pod holding 39–48 mg of nicotine, which delivered about as much nicotine as 18 cigarettes (Prochaska, Vogel and Benowitz, Tobacco Control, 2021). Real intake varies with the device, how often you puff and how deeply.
A vape’s nicotine is its liquid volume times its strength, so a 2 mL disposable at 5% (50 mg/mL) holds about 100 mg of nicotine. Research on 5% pods found one pod of about 40–48 mg delivered roughly the nicotine of a pack of cigarettes, so that 2 mL device is in the region of 40 cigarettes, or two packs. A 20 mL device at 5% holds 1,000 mg, around 20 packs.
Cutting down or quitting? Have a plan for the next craving
CraveBreaker: Quit Vaping · free on iPhone
- Tap “I have a craving” in CraveBreaker and start something useful within seconds: a 90-second reset, a pattern-break puzzle, a craving timer, or the reasons you wrote for yourself.
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Common sizes at a glance
| Device | Nicotine | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 0.7 mL pod at 5% | about 40 mg* | ≈ 1 pack |
| 2 mL disposable at 2% | 40 mg | ≈ 17 cigarettes |
| 2 mL disposable at 5% | 100 mg | ≈ 2 packs |
| 10 mL at 5% | 500 mg | ≈ 10 packs |
| 20 mL at 5% | 1,000 mg | ≈ 21 packs |
*Pods sold as 5% by weight hold about 59 mg/mL; the measured range was 39–48 mg per pod.
Why this matters if you are quitting
See also: vape craving timer · vaping cost calculator · saying no when a friend offers
Questions
How many cigarettes is a 5% disposable vape?
Multiply the mL by 50 to get the nicotine in mg, then divide by about 2.4. A 2 mL device at 5% holds 100 mg, roughly 40 cigarettes or two packs. Larger devices scale up: 10 mL is about 10 packs.
What does 5% nicotine mean in mg?
Most labels treat 5% as about 50 mg of nicotine per mL of liquid. Some pods labelled 5% by weight hold closer to 59 mg/mL.
Why not compare with the nicotine inside a cigarette?
A cigarette’s tobacco holds roughly 10 to 12 mg of nicotine, but most of it burns away and a smoker absorbs only a small part. Comparing with nicotine actually delivered, as the research here does, gives a fairer answer.
My box shows puffs, not mL. What do I do?
Puff counts are lab estimates that depend on puff length, so they do not convert reliably. Look for the mL and the strength (% or mg/mL) on the box or the maker’s page.
Is vaping as bad as smoking?
No. The NHS says vaping carries a small fraction of the risk of smoking, though it is not risk-free and is not recommended for non-smokers. The nicotine figure on this page is about dependence, not harm.
Does this page save what I enter?
No. Everything is worked out in your browser and nothing is sent or stored.
More free tools
- Vape craving timerA free craving timer for quitting vaping: start it when the urge hits, breathe along for ten slow breaths, and follow one small prompt at a time until it fades.
- Nicotine withdrawal timelineEnter when you last vaped to see where you are on the usual nicotine withdrawal timeline: what is common now, what eases next, and how to ride out a craving.
- Vape nicotine taper plannerEnter your vape strength and how fast you go through it. Get a week-by-week step-down schedule to 0 mg, your quit date and calendar reminders. Free, private.
- Work out what vaping costs you a yearWork out what vaping costs you per week, month, year and five years. Enter what you buy and how often, then see what you have kept since your quit date.
