How To Use Vaping To Quit Smoking
Vaping is widely considered a much healthier and safer alternative to smoking, but did you know you can use vaping to actually help you quit smoking? Nicotine is an addictive substance found in cigarettes and other tobacco products, but the juice you choose for your vape can have any level of nicotine present in it. Some vape juices are high in nicotine, and other vape juices have absolutely no nicotine at all. With your vape and a well-defined plan, you can actually kick your nicotine addiction entirely without experiencing all the discomfort of the cold turkey approach.
Step One: Start by switching from cigarettes to vaping
This first step might seem obvious, but it is important to allow you some time to get used to vaping before you start to quit smoking nicotine entirely. When you first switch to vaping, your body will start to purge the buildup from your time smoking cigarettes. This purge is a natural response of your body, and it may start to happen as soon as you stop inhaling smoke and start inhaling cleaner vapor instead. Give your body a few weeks at the least to get used to vaping instead of smoking before you pile on the additional stress of fighting your nicotine addiction. Like most ways to quit smoking that aren’t the cold turkey method, you have to be willing to take things one step at a time.
Step Two: Slowly reduce the nicotine levels in your vape juice
Depending on how long you have been smoking, your initial vape juice will provides you with a level of nicotine comparable to what you are used to. Vape juices vary by manufacturer, but common types of vape juice include 12 milligrams (mg) of nicotine, 6 mg, and 0 mg for a completely nicotine-free option. There are also some stronger options for heavy-duty smokers, and sometimes you can get custom blends that allow for other nicotine dosages. Once you are used to vaping and it has become a normal part of your daily life, you are ready to start reducing your nicotine intake and weaning off the addictive drug. It is important to take small steps so you don’t shock your system. For example, if you started vaping with a 12 mg vape juice, see if you can find a 10 mg or 8 mg juice so you don’t have to jump down to 6 mg from the nicotine level you are accustomed to. If you cannot find a 10 mg or 8 mg vape juice, you can buy some 6 mg vape juice and blend in some of your 12 mg juice yourself.
Step Three: Take time and get used to the weaker vape juice
After you start using vape juice with a lower nicotine level than you are used to, you will notice some minor feelings of withdrawal in your body. No method of quitting a nicotine addiction will be totally free of these withdrawal symptoms, but if you have made a small enough reduction in the strength of your vape juice, the discomfort will be quite minor and it should not impact your day to day life in any problematic way. If you are having a hard time adjusting to the weaker vape juice, you might have tried to take to large a step down at once. Look for a juice with a nicotine concentration a little higher than your current juice (but still lower than your original nicotine level). Keep using your reduced concentration e-liquids until you no longer notice the feelings of withdrawal in your body.
Step Four: Ratchet your nicotine down again
You probably saw this step coming, but taking baby steps is one of the most proven methods for beating an addiction like nicotine. Once you feel comfortable and satisfied with the nicotine level you are getting from your vape, it is time to knock the vape juice concentration down another few milligrams. Try not to get impatient and make too big of a jump, or the symptoms of withdrawal will get too uncomfortable and you might be tempted to puff a friend’s stronger vape or even sneak a cigarette. Also make sure you have allowed enough time for your body to get used to one level of nicotine before you reduce it again.
Step Five: Make the final switch to nicotine-free vape juice
Congratulations! You have officially quit smoking. One of the tricky things about the addiction to smoking cigarettes is that it is not just about the addictive nicotine. The act of smoking a cigarette or vape is considered habit-forming, which means that even if there is no addictive drug involved, the actual act of puffing on your vape can get ingrained into your habits. By switching to a vape, you create a substitute habit to smoking that lets you address your actual nicotine addiction separately.
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