This is pretty humiliating. I didn't want to tell anyone about this but I think getting the word out is worth a little embarrassment. This might keep someone from doing what I did.

I've been wanting to try my own NETs for a couple months now, ever since a redditor suggested purchasing leaf tobacco and steeping in VG for a month to get a nice flavor extract. The simplicity of the recipe seemed very attractive and seemed like a good place to start.

A couple days ago, the leaf arrived. I got some VG from the health shop. Then I found another recipe which called for bringing VG to a low boil and adding the tobacco, letting cool, and refrigerating overnight for a much faster extract. I decided I had to try that too. A month is a long time, after all.

I consider myself to be pretty intelligent, but I've never thought of myself as sensible, unfortunately. I knew that Glycerol had different heat retention capabilities, and I remember thinking that I should check the boiling point of VG before beginning the process. But I didn't check. I didn't even pull out my cooking thermometer. If I had checked the boiling point of VG, I would have been surprised to see that its up around 550F. Water boils at around 215F. If I had checked the VG boiling point first, I would not have followed the instructions to that recipe. I would have known not to throw chopped up tobacco into 550F liquid. In my house.

As you have probably guessed by now, I brought the VG to a boil. It was evaporating like crazy at this point. I tossed in the light golden tobacco and it immediately when from a clear boiling liquid to a tight, black, thick, smoking tar-like thing, smoldering like a SOB. I grabbed the pan and sprinted into the backyard and put the pan in a place where it could safely sit while the black mess continued to burn. I held my breath and went inside to open all the windows and doors. The smoke/vapor (I don't even know :( ) was very dense. I was feeling really stupid at this point. And I didn't even realize the extent of how dangerous the situation could have been.

Apparently, there is a very toxic chemical called Acrolein which is produced when VG heats up to about 530F. Some people swear that the PG risks are nothing compared to VG because of Acrolein. There is debate over how dangerous Acrolein exposure is to vapers.

I may have exposed myself yesterday. I don't feel any ill effects and did my best to stay out of the fog. I also smoked two packs a day for 15 years so I've had my share of Acrolein in the past (yes, you get it in analogs).

I posted a picture of the tobacco as vapemail and some interesting comments really put things into perspective for me enough to want to just tell everyone to be very careful. Mainly for our health, but also for the vitality of the community. If I ended up on the floor of my kitchen yesterday, you might have heard about it on CNN instead of this sub.

So, there you have it. Be careful out there. Discuss safety on these forums in a respectful and informed manner and people will listen. Don't do what I did.

edit: grammar