Electronic cigarettes are generally composed of a battery and a cartridge or also known as a cartomizer. The cartomizer contains the e-liquid and wick as well as the atomizer, powered by a heating coil. Some e-cig devices use mini re-fillable tanks and those should not be mixed up with cartridges, as they can be prone to leaking. Most e-cigs offer the standard disposable cartridges and are specifically discussed in this article.
The most common concern new users have, is the moment a drip of e-liquid goes onto their lips while puffing on their e-cig. We already covered the dripping subject and we can assure all of you that there is absolutely no danger. It is indeed true that e-liquid, if swallowed, is highly toxic. That is simply the nicotine, being a toxin, it cannot be consumed in large concentrations. However, the e-liquid dripping on your lips from the e-cig cartridge is merely condensed evaporation. The taste remains bad and it’s best to wipe it off, but nothing to worry about.
When using manual fire button battery devices, you can avoid most drips by simply continuing to draw after releasing the power button. That way, you clear all the vapor and avoid condensation from happening and forming the actual harmless drips. More info on manual batteries our comparison of automatic and manual e-cig batteries.
So now that the scare is gone, what safety tips should you be applying to e-cig nicotine cartridges, you ask? Since cartridge construction has bettered and safety increased, there are still some small concerns to watch out for and the first is defective hardware. It is extremely rare but if you don’t purchase directly online from the manufacturers, you risk having sub-par quality control issues.
If the cartridge was not stored properly, it could have gone bad. E-liquid can spoil and it is best to be thrown out if so. If a cartridge got unlikely crushed and damaged, it is certainly not safe to use, the heating element could possibly burn and dripping would also be a concern. More importantly is children and never allowing them near these devices. But all of that is obvious for most of you, so let’s just list some important factors to remember and rules to follow.
- Damage or exposure to heat for a long period can spoil the e-liquid inside the cartridge and should be disposed of.
- Nicotine remains a dangerous toxin and should never be left in the reach of children. A child is prone to sucking and biting on a cartomizer, with risk of ingesting the liquid and getting poisoned.
- If constant drips are detected, you may have a faulty cartridge. Use your common sense and stop using it. Warn the manufacturer of the defect you encountered.
- If you have any concern, simply spit out and wash out the e-liquid from your lips and mouth. Keep in mind that condensed vapor is a regular occurrence and is not to be confused with dripping e-liquid.
- If you get any e-liquid on your skin, wash it off immediately. The toxic nicotine will cause small redness and itchy rash type irritation. Washing with soapy water will quickly relieve the itching and redness takes a little while to disappear.
- Take slower and longer puffs when using your automatic battery e-cig. Avoid taking unnecessary extra strong draws that could certainly cause condensation. When using manual batteries, continue to draw after releasing the fire button to clear the vapor.
The final safety tip we have to share is proper disposal. Many e-cig brands now offer rewards for recycling your cartridges. While some still lack any reward system, we try to encourage everyone to think ecologically. Throwing your cartridges outside in the street is the worst idea. The casing is made of aluminium, have left over nicotine and wick as well as the metal components of the atomizer. Animals can try to eat it and die and reports of cartridges piercing car tires have also surfaced. Be safe and responsible and vape on!