How to Quit Smoking with Vaping

Have you tried to quit smoking and failed? Switching to a vape may be the answer.

Vaping replicates the sensation of smoking without exposure to the risks of tobacco products.

Just 24 hours after you quit smoking, you’ll be breathing easier. Your body will have eliminated the excess carbon monoxide in the blood, decreasing your blood pressure and improving your oxygen levels.

Why Stop Smoking?

Burning tobacco releases thousands of toxic chemicals, dozens of which are carcinogens — or known to cause cancers. On the other hand, vaping supplies your nicotine hit in a way proven to be 95% less harmful than smoking.

Vaping also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, COPD and other respiratory conditions, and cancer (including lip, mouth, throat, lung, bladder, kidney, stomach, liver and cervical).

We all know how dangerous smoking is — we hear the “smoking kills” warnings all the time, but that doesn’t make the statistics any less shocking:

• Smoking is the primary cause of preventable illness and premature death, accounting for approximately 74,600 deaths a year in England.
• Every year, smoking kills 7 million people worldwide. This includes non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke.
• Based on current smoking trends, the death toll is expected to rise to 10 million a year by 2030.
• By the end of the 21st century, smoking will have killed one billion people.
• Approximately 20 smokers are suffering from a smoking-related disease for every smoking-related death.
• The cost of smoking to the NHS is estimated to be £2.5 billion a year, during a period where the NHS has never been more strained.

Why Quit with Vapes?

People are three times more likely to quit smoking through vaping than nicotine gums. Vaping is also recommended by Public Health England (PHE). PHE’s advice is that “smokers should switch to e-cigarettes to help them quit smoking, but non-smokers should not take up vaping”. This is unsurprising since vapour doesn’t contain any tar, carbon monoxide or other carcinogens present in tobacco products.

What about the cost? Estimates put vaping costs at several hundred pounds per year, whereas smoking continues to cost thousands. The main benefit of stopping smoking is your health, but it never hurts to have a few extra pennies (or, in this case, pounds!) in your pocket.

Top Tips for Quitting with a Vape

Base the nicotine level on how much you smoke

E-liquid comes in different nicotine strengths, measured in milligrams (mg). Heavy smokers (20+ cigs per day) will likely need a stronger nicotine hit to satisfy their cravings. In contrast, occasional or social smokers will probably be satisfied with a lower strength (between 3 and 6 mg).

Be prepared to experiment, and don’t go back to smoking if you’re not satisfied — it can take some trial and error to find the right nicotine level for you.

The benefit of vaping is that you can buy e-liquids for as cheap as a quid or two, so it’s no great expense purchasing a couple of bottles to see which strength satisfies your cravings. 

You can also adjust your nicotine intake over time, gradually decreasing the strength until you’re vaping nicotine-free juice or not at all.

Vape as you would smoke

You might be tempted to chain vape (vape constantly), but it’s best to approach vaping as you would smoking — have a few hits on your vape and then put it down for a while.

The nicotine goes right into your bloodstream when you vape, giving you a quick hit. Vape too quickly or too much, and you might get “nic-sick”. This can leave you feeling lightheaded or nauseous, putting you off vaping before you’ve really started.

Pick a flavour you like

Vape juice comes in all sorts of flavours, from fruity and dessert flavours to tobacco and menthol.

New vapers might want to choose a tobacco or menthol flavour to replicate the taste of a cigarette. Still, you might also want to throw in a flavour such as lemon tart, blue slush or cherry. The many options make vaping enjoyable and help you stay away from cigarettes while adjusting.

Get in touch with your local stop smoking service

Local stop smoking services are free and can boost your chances of quitting for good.

While e-cigarettes aren’t available on prescription, your adviser can provide information and help you determine if it’s the correct method for you.

Picking the Right Vape to Stop Smoking

The world of vaping can be exciting, but with so many devices available and so much information, it can also be intimidating.

When it comes to looking for a beginner vape, you should consider:

Appearance

Vapes come in all colours and sizes, from pocket kits to chunky devices with a weight to match. Consider if you want a smaller vape you can easily slip in your pocket or a larger vape that stands out.

You can also visit a vape shop and see what’s on offer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and pick up different kits that catch your eye, paying attention to how each feels in the hand and if you’ll be comfortable carrying it in your palm or pocket.

If you prefer to buy online, look at images and reviews on YouTube to get an idea of how it looks in natural light, and how it’s used and sits in the hand.

Battery life

The last thing you want is to be out and about and your vape to run out of power! Most beginner vapes contain internal batteries (measured in milliampere/hour, or mAh). The higher the number, the more powerful the battery and the longer it’ll last before you need to recharge.

Look at the charging method too. Many new vapes have type-C USB charging, which is the fastest charging method and is commonly used in smartphones. However, larger batteries are usually heavier, so your vape will also be larger and heavier. It’s an important point to consider if you’re leaning toward a thin, lightweight vape.

Another option is to look for a vape that uses an external battery. You’ll need to buy these separately, and these will amp up the weight of your vape, but if you invest in more than one, you’ll always have a fully charged battery spare.

A Great Example of a Beginner Vape

When picking a beginner vape, you might be overwhelmed by all the choices and different brands available. One of the most popular and trusted vape brands is VOOPOO, which stocks a variety of beginner kits. These include the Vinci Q and Doric 20, which are cost-effective, easy-to-use and pocket-friendly devices you can fill with your e-liquid of choice and vape all day without worrying about running out of power.

Vaping isn’t for everyone, but if you’re tempted to pick up a kit, give it a try — it might be what helps you stop smoking for good.

Until next time.