As a newcomer, navigating the world of vape juice can be a bit daunting. There’s a lot of jargon involved. What on earth is vegetable glycerine? And do you have to mix your own vape juice or can you buy one pre-made? Come to think of it, what is in vape juice to begin with?
Learning about the compounds that make up vape juice can affect your vaping experience positively, as it’ll help you to achieve the perfect balance of throat hit and vapour. Read on to find out more.
VG and PG are odourless liquids that combine with a flavour and CBD to create a CBD vape juice. VG and PG are sugar alcohols, so whilst they won’t get you inebriated, it’s important to be careful when vaping if you experience blood sugar conditions such as diabetes.
VG and PG are the compounds that produce vapour when they’re heated, which allows them to be inhaled and exhaled with ease. The two fluids have a different consistency and taste to one another, so they work well together to create the full vaping experience that is loved all over the world.
How much you choose to vape of each liquid is completely dependent on your own preference, so if you decide to mix your own, it’s important to get it right so that you can have the best vaping experience possible.
PG stands for propylene glycol – it’s actually a compound by-product of petroleum, but has no odour or colour meaning that it’s ideal for flavour concentrates. In vaping, PG provides the ‘throat hit’ that so many people associate with smoking. Others say it makes them cough. PG is also used in household products like toothpaste, shampoo and nicotine inhalers – it’s a common occurrence in 21st century life.
In initial studies, PG appears to be safe – but even so, more studies are needed to fully appreciate the effects of the substance on the human body, long-term.
A study of the long term toxicity of PG on rats showed that ingested PG had no adverse health effects on the rats – although it did test a relatively small sample. Not many studies exist that have looked at the effects of inhaling PG, apart from a long-term experiment held in 1947 on monkeys and rats that showed no essential differences between the test and control groups.
If you have side effects to vaping, it is possible that you’re having an allergic reaction to PG. Stop vaping immediately and consult your GP for advice. This is however extremely rare!
VG stands for vegetable glycerine – a naturally occurring chemical that’s derived from vegetable oils. In e-liquid, it’s used to thicken the vape juice. VG smoothens the throat hit that PG brings to the vape, and provides the vapour hit that so many people love.
It is not commonly possible to buy a flavoured VG liquid, so at this point in time, most e-liquids are made of a combination of the two. The compound can also be found in sweetener, beauty products, soap, gel substances and toothpaste.
However, similar to PG, there are limited studies that show the impact of VG inhalation. A study on the inhalation of glycerine in rats showed that there was limited effects on their lungs. But just like PG, more studies need to be done in order to fully understand the long-term effects of inhalation of vegetable glycerine.
Please note: This blog post reflects historical data predating recent changes in cannabinoid laws, medical cannabis regulations, and some of our best CBD product names, strengths, and formulations. These historical blogs remain as a reference post our website update, but they might contain outdated information. Discover our updated CBD and legal cannabinoid products for the best CBD experience.
