Vape, eJuice and E-Cigarette FAQ | Theravape

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I pay by E-Transfer?

Please send Interac Email Transfer payments to shop@theravape.net and use "theravape" as the answer to your security question. We will fulfill your order once we receive payment. Orders that have not been paid within 5 business days will be cancelled.

What is vaping?

Vaping is simply the act of using a personal vaping device (aka electronic cigarette, aka ecig or ecigarette.) Whether you use a little device that looks like a cigarette (cigalike), a slightly larger pen-style device, a mechanical mod, or anything in between, the term "vaping" applies.

How similar is "vaping" to smoking?

While you don't have to "light up" because there is no burning involved, the act of vaping is quite similar to smoking. You still satisfy the hand-to-mouth habit as well as the feeling of inhaling and exhaling something. You also receive the satisfaction of the nicotine that you may crave. Vaping only carries a small fraction of the risks associated with smoking since there is no combustion and only a handful of ingredients (propylene glycol, glycerine, flavouring, nicotine) compared to the thousands of chemicals found in cigarettes.  With vaping, you can tailor your nicotine levels and flavours to your satisfaction in order to make transitioning away from smoking more successful.  

Can I quit smoking by vaping?

The short answer is "probably" and basically the majority of our customers already have. While vaping Is not officially considered by government to be a smoking cessation method, Health Canada now recognizes that it can help and there are many, millions of people around the world that have quit smoking by replacing their cigarettes with a vape device. What we can say for certain is that if you find you enjoy vaping and you find a device that suits your needs, a little personal motivation to use your vape instead of reaching for a cigarette will go a long way to achieving your goal.  Studies have also shown vaping is approximately twice as effective or more compared with nicotine replacement therapies. In the UK, public health endorses vaping as the best method for quitting smoking, but we're waiting for other countries to catch up and do the same.

Is it okay if I continue to smoke cigarettes while I get used to vaping?

There is no hard and fast rule about continuing to smoke, but for your health, it's best to drop the smokes as soon as you can. If it makes you more comfortable smoking while you adjust to vaping, by all means, go ahead. If you find you still crave a cigarette after vaping, we would suggest moving up to a higher nicotine content in your eliquid to satisfy your craving. Whatever it takes to get you to choose your vape over cigarettes is entirely at your discretion but we're here to help if you need guidance.

Is vaping safe?

E-cigarettes are such a new product, that long term research is only now starting to emerge and showing promising results. What we do know for certain is e-cigarettes contain far less harmful constituents and at much lower amounts than cigarette smoke.  As of yet, there is no study that adequately proves any actual harm is arising from vaping, and in fact, some studies have looked at second hand exposure and indoor air quality comparisons, showing little to no harm to health.

According to the Royal College of Physicians, "the hazard to health arising from long-term vapour inhalation from the e-cigarettes available today is unlikely to exceed 5% of the harm from smoking tobacco." (https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/projects/outputs/nicotine-without-smoke-tobacco-harm-reduction-0)

According to experts, there are approximately 600 ingredients in cigarettes. When these ingredients are burned, they create over 4,000 chemicals, many of which are chemicals known to cause cancer, or are poisonous. No actual smoke is created when you vape. The vapor that is produced is created by vaporizing an eliquid solution of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavoring, and in most instances, nicotine.  Some dubious studies have tried to abuse devices to create harmful chemicals in the vapor, but this is done by basically overheating juice and wick materials to create combustion, which no one in their right mind would ever do on purpose.  When it tastes burnt, either the power is set too high, or it's just time to change the coil/cotton.  Vaping is intended to be done at proper power levels that vaporize, not burn.

How do vaping devices work?

All vaping devices operate using the same basic principles. Quite simply, a battery powers a coil which heats a liquid solution known as e-liquid. This produces a vapor which is then inhaled.

What exactly is in the vapor that I would be inhaling?

Eliquid (aka e-liquid, aka ejuice) made by a qualified company will contain four ingredients, Propylene Glycol (PG), Vegetable Glycerin (VG), food flavorings, and optional nicotine. The presence of other incidental chemicals produced are typically very low and dependent on the flavourings used, which can ultimately be avoided by vaping flavourless eliquids if you prefer.

What is the difference between PG and VG?

Propylene Gylcol, or PG, is a clear, colorless and odorless liquid that tastes slightly sweet. PG is commonly found in many consumer products including soft drinks and health products. PG is also the ingredient that carries the flavor of your vapor.  A very small proportion of the population may exhibit sensitivity to PG (harsh feeling in the throat, not dependent on nicotine level, but high PG), and even fewer may have a true allergy to PG (could cause swelling, rash, hives, constriction of airway).  If you exhibit signs of an allergic reaction, you should stop vaping immediately.  If you experience a sensitivity to PG (harsh on throat), then try switching to a higher VG blend or ask us to make you your favourite eliquid in 100% VG base.  People often find that a 70% overall VG blend is usually good enough to remove harshness caused by PG, but almost all flavourings on the market are based in PG, making it nearly impossible to remove completely without going to a flavourless product. 

Vegetable Glycerin, or VG, is also a colorless and odorless liquid which is a simple vegetable sugar compound. It is very thick and viscous, whereas PG is closer to water in this respect.  VG is also another ingredient that is common in many consumer products including processed foods, liquid sweeteners and ice cream, as well as in medical delivery systems. VG is the ingredient that produces most of the body of vapor.

An eliquid that contains a higher PG content will produce more flavor, while an eliquid that contains more VG will have slightly less flavor, but produce a smoother experience and a larger cloud which allows for more flavour.

How do I choose the right nicotine strength?

While everyone is a little different, and different device combinatinos will yield different volumes of vapour, we can help guide you a bit to start.  

For small pen devices with low output, the general suggestion is to start by trying an ejuice with a nicotine level of 12mg if you smoke a full pack a day.  If you smoke a half pack a day, then try 6mg/ml instead.  With the advent of newer "salt nicotine" eliquids for compact devices, many heavy smokers will start out closer to 35-50mg/mL.  While it sounds significantly higher, the devices typically used with salt nicotine produce smaller vapor volumes, thus reducing the overall nicotine delivered.  Salt nicotine is known to produce far smoother throat feel for a given nicotine concentration compared to traditional "freebase" nicotine, but can sometimes cause some irritation in the lungs, so it definitely isn't for everyone.

For devices that allow you to change your power level, around the 25-40W mark, you can consider 6mg/ml for a pack a day smoker.  As you increase the power level, you will get more vapour volume, so your device gives you more total nicotine for a given nicotine concentration.  This means you can naturally drop the nicotine concentration as you increase power or as your body gets used to the nicotine level and allows you to use less.

For higher output devices, more suited to experienced vapers (40W+), consider stepping down to a 3mg/ml eliquid.  

We also suggest starting at a conservative level that you can tolerate and moving up to a higher level of nicotine if necessary to satisfy your needs. Our product experts are always available to help you choose your nicotine level if you are unsure.

How do I know which e-liquid flavor to choose?

With literally thousands of possible choices available locally or online, the decision can seem daunting. The best place to start is with your favorite foods. Do you like gummy candies? How about strawberries & cream? There's a flavor out there for you. Read the flavor profiles and reviews for whatever sounds good to you and give it a try. Also, most vape shops will have a testing station where you can try out flavors before you buy. Go see your local TheraVape retailer or come down to our Winnipeg vape shop and give some flavors a try.

Why does my vapor taste burnt?

A burnt taste is a good indication that your coil needs changing or your power is set too high. Most pre-built coil heads deteriorate over time and that causes them to not wick enough juice to your coils.

My atomizer makes a cracking / popping sound when I vape it. Is this normal?

Yes. The noise you hear is your coil heating up the liquid.

My vape is making a gurgling sound and I'm not getting much vapor. What does this mean?

Usually a gurgling sound is caused by too much liquid in either your atomizer coil or in the vapor tube. Usually all you will have to do is ensure your coil head is tightened properly and clean out the vapor tube with a piece of twisted tissue or a q-tip.

What is a mechanical mod?

A mechanical mod is a tube or box containing one or more rechargeable batteries. Pressing the fire button completes a circuit and passes an unregulated current to your coil. A mechanical mod does not contain any circuitry to regulate your voltage. Because this current is unregulated, we suggest you not use a mechanical mod until you are familiar with battery safety and Ohm's Law to ensure safe usage of your device.

What is a "hybrid" mech mod?

"Hybrid" mech mods are so-named due to the direct contact the battery top makes with the positive connector pin on the bottom of your atomizer.  This design is intended to minimize the resistance between battery and coil for competition use, delivering a more powerful output.  This contrasts with typical 510 connector designs that incorporate a solid metal plate between the battery and atomizer pins. It is important to ONLY use atomizers that are designed to be used with a hybrid configuration by utilizing extended connector pins.  Failure to do so can result in electrical dead-short, potentially causing battery venting or dangerous thermal runaway (with ensuing explosion of battery.)  Be sure to use with Sony VTC4 or LG HB6 high-amp batteries and avoid building under .2ohm for safety.  Ensure your battery wraps are always maintained in good condition and batteries are always sufficiently charged before use.  

Prior to shipping your order, we will contact you to ensure you are intimately familiar with using hybrid mech mods.  We will only sell this type of mod to fully-informed, experienced customers and will refuse the sale otherwise for your safety.

Can I vape anywhere?

In Canada, the short answer here is no. Sadly, many cities, provinces (eg. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba) and states have chosen to lump vaping into existing smokefree legislation and may prohibit vaping in public places. Some cities in Canada also have their own bylaws or are working on their own bylaws that you should be familiar with (eg. Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Vancouver, Prince George, Saskatoon, Kelowna, etc.)

Please don't assume that just because it's "not illegal", that you can vape anywhere. We always suggest being polite to others first off and respect their right to clean air. We also suggest to check for any local bylaws and also check with the owner of an establishment to ensure that they are vape friendly prior to using your device. Property owners are within their rights to prohibit vaping on their premises, and many do.

General information on battery safety:

Do not overcharge or over-discharge batteries.

Do not leave your batteries on the charger unattended. It is a good idea to check on the charger every 15-30 minutes.

Do not charge batteries over 4.25 volts as it may reduce its lifespan. Charging over 4.5 volts can also cause the battery to burst. When purchasing a charger, ensure that it has safety features built in to prevent overcharging.

Recharge batteries that have dropped below 3.6V and try not to overdrain them. If the battery is drained below 3.6 volts it may never recharge fully.

Do not short circuit your batteries. Shorting ANY battery can potentially burn it out or cause it to explode.

Keep in mind that batteries have unique amp drain limits as indicated on the product pages. Building coils with low resistance may push the battery past its amp drain limit which can cause thermal overload. If you are building your own coils, a working knowledge of Ohm's Law is essential.

Do not let your batteries touch metallic items. When carrying spare batteries, make sure to keep them in an insulated case. Loose change and other metallic items can create a path between the positive and negative contacts.  Lastly, always ensure your batteries and battery wraps are in good working condition.  For customers at our Winnipeg vape shop, we provide free re-wrap services.  Batteries with dents, or that are leaking fluid are not considered safe and should not be used.

Vaping Etiquette

It really is all about being polite and showing respect for others.

Ask the owner's permission first when you go to a bar, store, or even a friend's home.

Remember that with all the misinformation being circulated and disguised as fact, some people truly believe that vaping (and secondhand vapor) is dangerous. Some people are also very sensitive to various scents whether it's from vaping, perfume, or anything else.

Answer people's questions about vaping. Do your best to stay educated on the basics of vaping. If you stay up to date with your knowledge you will be much better prepared for when people ask questions. It is good to know information such as e-juice composition, the function of personal vaporizers, and the real risks involved. Remember that it's natural for people to be wary of things they don't understand. It's our job to try to communicate the facts about vaping.

Many people do not fully understand vaping or trust that it is safe. If someone complains or asks you to stop, don't sweat it. Just stop or move away from them. Arguing with someone doesn't do you, or vaping in general, any good.

Be mindful of your surroundings. Hospitals and schools are two good examples of places where vaping could be seen as intrusive.

Where are you guys located?

We operate from our 6000sq. ft. headquarters based in Winnipeg.  It includes our manufacturing facility and retail boutique with our state-of-the-art downdraft sampling station so you can sub-ohm sample without clouding the shop out.  Our address is 346 Keewatin St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, and we're hidden behind Van Houtte Coffee.  You can also access the parking lot from behind the shop on Park Lane.  You can also shop at our second retail location at 605-4 Sterling Lyon Parkway, close to Popeye's Chicken and across from Ikea in Winnipeg.  Otherwise, shop online from anywhere right here.