Vaping has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1927. Back then, it was merely an alternative to regular cigarettes—even the first few e-cigarettes were designed to resemble typical cigarettes and pipes.

But times have changed. Vaping has evolved into a vast community with members worldwide. They have their own unique and distinct character, complete with terms and slang.

Vape slang can be overwhelming when you are still new to vaping. Here is a helpful infographic to guide you through the essential and most commonly used terms within the vaping community.

56 Essential Vaping Terms and Slangs You Need to Know

A

• ADV (All Day Vape) – Your go-to vape; it's the one you are most comfortable using the entire day.
• AFC (airflow control) – The small dial or screw you can use to adjust the vape's drag to your preference.
• Amps (short for amperage) – The energy flow along a circuit or vape. Higher amps are better suited to keep the atomizer from overheating.
• Atomizer (a.k.a. "atty") – The part of the vape that houses the wick and coil, heating the e-juice to generate vapor.

B

• Battery – Where energy is stored; there are two types of batteries: manual and automatic. Vapes with manual batteries need to be switched on before usage. With automatic batteries, you can simply inhale whenever you want without turning the device on and off.
• Blanks – Mixing your own juices? Blanks are empty cartridges that you can fill with your unique mixtures.
• Box mod – These are square-like modifications to the vape which can increase its battery life and power.

C

• Cartridge – This is the small mouthpiece filled with Poly-Fil to hold the e-liquid of your choice. The e-juice from the cartridge moves through the vape's atomizer, creating the vapor.
• Cartomizer – Also known as "Carto," it is both a cartridge and atomizer. Since cartomizers can hold more e-liquid, they are longer than the usual atomizers. They are also easily disposable.
• Clearomizer – Transparent cartomizers allow users to monitor how much e-juice is left in their vape.
• Closed pod system – If a vape has a closed pod system, you cannot manually refill it. These are usually the disposable cartridges pre-filled with juice and to be thrown away after use.
• Cloud chaser – These are vapers who puff massive clouds. They typically use vapes with higher power and lower resistance to achieve this.
• Custom mod – These are the vapes that you cannot buy just anywhere because vapes with custom mods are usually made to suit the specific needs of their user.

D

• Dank vapes – These are e-juices that are said to contain THC, the oil found in certain plants typically used for medical purposes. Much controversy has been surrounding Dank Vapes, so avoiding them is recommended for your health and safety.
• Disposables – These are non-rechargeable vapes that should be thrown away once out of battery or e-juice.
• Draw – When vapers place their mouth on the vape and inhale, they draw. It's also known as drag or rip.
• Dry hit – When a vape has run out of e-juice, but you still go for another draw, you take a dry hit. Since there is no more juice, the taste is not appealing to most and is usually a sign that you need to refill the vape or dispose of it if it is a closed pod system.

E

• E-juice – This is the solution that gets vaporized to produce the actual vapor. It is usually made with propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerine (VG), flavoring, and nicotine. It comes in different flavors—from strawberry to rich tobacco. Each juice's nicotine content also differs, but the more nicotine an e-juice has, the stronger its effects.
• ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery systems) – The formal term for battery-powered devices—e-cigarettes and vape pens, for instance—used to smoke vaporized solutions.

F

• Filler material – People may refer to this as "filler" or "Poly-Fil." It is an absorbent material that lines the inside of cartridges and cartomizers to hold the e-juice.
• Flavor ghosting – This happens when you can still taste the previous e-juice you used for your vape after swapping it with a different one. Clean your vape often to prevent it.
• Flooding – When your atomizer gets overfilled, it floods. You can tell when your atty is flooded when it produces less vapor than usual or if you hear gurgling noises coming from the device. One way to clear flooding is by gently blowing through the mouthpiece.

H

• Heat steeping – Steeping is necessary to let the ingredients of a freshly made e-juice settle. Heat steeping speeds up the process and is done by placing the e-juice container in hot water or a hotter environment for a while.
• High Resistance (HR) – These are atomizers with high ohm readings, usually in vapes with higher voltages.
• High Voltage (HV) – A higher voltage in a vape means more power is running through it. Compared with a low resistance coil, it can generate thicker and hotter clouds, though your battery will drain faster.
• Hit – This is when you inhale the vapor.

L

• Leaking – This is when the e-juice leaks out from anywhere on the vape. The leakage could damage the vape, especially if it reaches the battery. Cleaning your vape often will help prevent this from happening.
• Low Resistance (LR) – Vapes with 1.5 or lower ohm ratings; the lower the resistance, the more vapor the e-cig can produce. The trade-off is that battery life can drain faster.

M

• mAh – Milliampere-hour, or 1/1000th of an amp. It is used to describe the amount of energy a battery can store; the higher the mAh, the longer the vape can last without charging. The most popular battery size is the 18650 since it provides enough power and battery life without the bulk.
• Mechanical mod – These are called "mech mods," "mech PVs," or simply "mechs." These modifications, typically used by more experienced vapers, can give the vape extra power and longer battery life.
• Mint/mango gang – Groups of vapers who enjoy minty or mango-flavored e-juices.
• Mod – Short for "modifications;" if users are not satisfied with their vapes' current power or battery life, they can mod it to improve the device to their standards.
• Mouthpiece – The end of the vape where you take your draw. Some vapes have these built-in, while others can be customized using drip tips or dust caps.
• Mouth-to-lung hit – Also known as a "French Inhale," it happens when vapers inhale the vapor through their mouth and into their lungs. Though it may provide less vapor after exhaling, the vaper will get to taste more of the juice's flavor.

N

• Nic juice – E-juice that contains nicotine. Some e-juices have 3% nicotine, others can have more, while some do not contain any. Always read the nicotine content of the e-juices you are buying to avoid unintended complications.
• Nic sick – When someone begins feeling signs of inhaling too much nicotine; symptoms include nausea, headaches, and quick, heavy breathing. See a medical professional if you or anyone you know begins showing these symptoms.
• Nicotine – Also known as "Nic," this is what gives smokers and vapers pleasurable effects such as reduced anxiety. By itself and in moderation, nicotine is not harmful, contrary to what others believe.
• NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) – This is a way for those addicted or highly dependent on nicotine to quit their consumption slowly. Typical NRT treatments include patches, gum, or lozenges.

O

• Ohm (Ω) – This is the standard unit of electrical resistance. When coils have a lower ohm, the vapor they can produce is thicker and hotter than coils with a higher ohm.
• Open/refillable systems – Unlike closed pod systems, vapes with open systems allow users to refill the atomizers with e-juice once it has run out. You must buy e-juice bottles separately.

P

• Pacifier mode – This is when you put the vape in your mouth and use it without holding it with your hands.
• Personal vaporizer (PV) – This is another name for vapes that are typically modded or non-traditional.
• Pod – These are small, disposable tanks that house a vape's coil and your e-juice of choice. You can easily swap vape pods for another anytime you want, which is why carrying multiple pods is what most people do.
• Priming – Whenever you use a new atomizer, you first need to prime it. Add a few drops of your e-juice to your vape and let it stand for a few minutes. This is to saturate the vape's wick and prevent it from having a burnt taste.

S

• Second-gen e-cigarettes – Modern vapes like RELX look less like regular cigarettes and can even be customized. Cig-a-likes, or e-cigarettes designed to resemble cigarettes, were the first generation.
• Stacking – This is when batteries are stacked end-to-end in a mech mod to amplify and strengthen the vape's power. Be aware that stacking can be risky, so discretion is advised.
• Steeping – When e-juices are made, the ingredients need to take time to settle. The process is called steeping and usually takes six hours or more to complete.
• Sub-ohming – To sub-ohm means to use coils with less than 1.0-ohm readings. Experienced vapers use sub-ohm to puff thicker and bigger clouds.
• Sweet spot – You have hit the sweet spot when you have put enough customizations and mods on your vape to make it perfect for you. It also includes getting the right e-juice at the nicotine level you want, at the right wattage.

T

• Tank – This is the part of the vape which holds the e-juice and coil. They are typically clear and made with glass or plastic to help you see how much e-juice is left.
• Throat hit – A throat hit happens when you draw from your vape and it produces a harsh or rough feeling down your throat. Vapes can be modded and customized to increase or decrease the effect of the throat hit.

V

• Vape Nation – Vape Nation is a term used to describe a community of vapers. Others also call it "Vape Naysh," first used in a comedy sketch posted on YouTube by Ethan Klein from h3h3Productions.
• Vaper – Someone who vapes. Some vapers may still be open to smoking cigarettes; however, most vapers stick to their e-cigarettes.
• Vaper's Tongue – When a vaper has been using the same juice for some time, they begin building a tolerance. Once it reaches the point where they can no longer taste the juice or feel the nicotine like before, they have developed a vaper's tongue. It is not a permanent condition, though. Vaping in moderation is one of the best ways to avoid this.
• Vaporizer – While all e-cigarettes are vaporizers, not all vaporizers are e-cigarettes. People can use larger vaporizers in their homes to moisten the air and relieve dry skin.

W

• Watt (wattage) – This is how much power the atomizer coil uses. Though a vape has a high wattage, it does not mean you can puff large clouds—the vape's resistance is just as important. If the resistance of the vape is just as high, you will not be able to puff the massive clouds you want.

Welcome to the Club

Now that you know more vape terms and can speak the language, you can start smoothly exploring the community. You can better connect with fellow vapers and comfortably talk to vendors to find the best vapes. If you want to experience some of the best out there, visit RELX Club for quality vapes. Browse the official RELX store with your newly gained knowledge to find the best vape for you.