Are you considering switching from smoking to vaping? If you are, you’re probably one of the 6.6 million people who smoke combustible cigarettes, which is about 13.3% of the UK population, according to the Office for National Statistics. By contrast, between 6.9 and 7.1% of the population vapes, which is roughly 3.1 to 3.2 million adults. When it comes to smoking combustible cigarettes or vaping, vaping is less harmful, and it can help you stop smoking for good. Let’s explore some tips for making a smooth transition from combustible cigarettes to vaping.
Reasons to Switch to Vaping to Help You Quit Smoking
- Individuals are nearly twice as likely to completely stop smoking if they use a vape versus trying a different type of nicotine replacement therapy, like gum, patches or lozenges.
- Vaping doesn’t contain as many harmful substances as combustible cigarettes.
- Individuals have a higher success rate when they use a vaping product to help them stop smoking (64.9 percent), versus using a nicotine replacement therapy that isn’t a vaping pen (58.6 percent).
Helpful Tips for Switching from Smoking to Vaping
Thousands of people in the UK have successfully quit smoking by using vapes instead of smoking combustible cigarettes, and you can too. Just remember not to be too hard on yourself as you make the switch.
Choose the Right Vaping Kit
Vaping pens, bars and pods are sold in vape shops, some pharmacies, retail stores and online. When you first switch from smoking combustible cigarettes to vapes, you’ll want to take care to choose the right kit. This usually means researching the available products and how they’re used. If you’re still unsure after you’ve researched a few products, a knowledgeable salesperson at a vape shop should be able to answer your questions and recommend a few good products. They may also be an ex-combustible cigarette smoker, so they can explain the process and their experience.
Don’t Get Discouraged if the First Vape Doesn’t Work for You
It’s important to understand that not all vape devices and liquids are right for all smokers. It may take some trial and error before you find a vape pen, e-liquid and nicotine strength that’s right for you. There are currently two types of e-liquids available, including freebase nicotine and nicotine salts.
Freebase nicotine was the first e-liquid on the market, and it’s known for its strong throat hit. For individuals who like a harsh feeling in the back of their throats, freebase nicotine might be the right choice. However, it’s important to note that the sensation may be too strong when using e-liquids that have a lot of nicotine in them.
Nicotine salts is a nicotine e-liquid that has been pH balanced. It’s a much smoother hit and tends to work well for individuals who need higher levels of nicotine or more frequent puffs from their vape pen.
Choose the Right Level of Nicotine
Nicotine e-liquids can be purchased in various nicotine strengths from 0 to 50mg. In general, most people prefer to purchase freebase nicotine with up to 18mg of nicotine. For e-liquids with stronger strengths, most people prefer to buy nicotine salts. It’s important not to get discouraged if you choose the wrong nicotine strength. It can take some trial and error before you find the right liquid with the right amount of nicotine.
Give Yourself at Least Two Weeks
While vaping is similar to smoking in that you’re still putting a device in your mouth and inhaling, it’s not the same thing as smoking because you’re not inhaling hot smoke. Therefore, it’s a good idea to give yourself at least two weeks to get used to vaping versus smoking a combustible cigarette.
The second issue that people have when switching to vaping is that they believe they need to reduce their intake. The truth is that you can inhale on your vape pen as much as you need to and reduce your puffs and the nicotine content of your e-liquid over time. The trick here is to simply allow yourself to get comfortable with vaping instead of smoking a combustible cigarette.
Believe You can Make the Switch
The most important part of switching from combustible cigarettes to vapes is believing that you can make the switch. Remember to have faith in yourself, and understand that you’ll have bumps along your path. You may not choose the right vape or e-liquid on your first attempt, and it may take you longer to get accustomed to vaping than you anticipated. However, you can do it if you stick with it.
Don’t Be Afraid to Try Other Nicotine Replacement Therapies Too
Vaping doesn’t mean you can’t try other types of nicotine replacement therapies to give yourself extra support. Some people use nicotine patches along with vaping to help them deal with strong or immediate cravings. You may also want to switch up your vape pen with nicotine gum or lozenges from time to time. If you need extra support, the NHS offers local stop-smoking services. These services can provide you with encouragement, support and even advice on various types of nicotine replacement therapies and medicines.
Set Realistic Goals for Yourself
When starting your quit smoking journey, it’s important to set realistic goals. Most people can take as long as three months before they stop thinking of themselves as a smoker and start thinking of themselves as a vaper. Of course, you probably have a goal to stop vaping and using nicotine products completely, but that can take even more time. Most people don’t even think about stopping the use of their vape until they’ve been using it for at least 12 months. Remember, you can also reduce the number of times you use your vape and choose e-liquids with lower nicotine levels in order to keep you on track to completely stop smoking.
You can make the switch from combustible cigarettes to vaping and begin your quit smoking journey. With a little determination and some help and advice from the NHS, you can become a vaper and then a non-smoker. Just remember not to beat yourself up over small mistakes, and give yourself enough time to make the switch and then slowly work yourself off of nicotine.
Sources
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/using-e-cigarettes-to-stop-smoking/
https://www.vapemate.co.uk/blog/how-to-successfully-switch-from-smoking-to-vaping/
https://vapingfacts.health.nz/vaping-to-quit-smoking/tips-for-success/
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/vaping-to-quit-smoking/