General / Off-Topic Do vapes help you quit the habit?

[Northpin]

After 40 years of sucking in and blowing out smoke I've come to the conclusion it's not for me
I've tried the patches, gum, lozenges and even Liquorice Allsorts! But never with any success.
I was watching a BBC Horizon episode some time ago where they had a group of smokers and gave each a different nicotine replacement products and found that those who used the Vapes had an overwhelming success in staying off the regular cigs.

Has anyone used vaping as a way of quitting? Did you manage to quit completely and if so, which type of vape did you use? Did you then go on to quit vaping as well? I appreciate there is no magic bullet and will power is still going to be needed.

I've looked at what's available for vaping and it's a flipp'in minefield of options.

Cheers

I dont really think vaping is a good way of quitting smoking.

And i really dont trust vaping since it's a mostly unregulated business that might bring in some nasty surprises.
At least Cigarettes industry is heavily regulated and we know exactly what we put in our lungs - not so much with vaping.

Now, my case - after 22 years of smoking (15-20 cigarettes per day, more than 1 packet at parties) i quit smoking suddenly - i simply quit.
I even kept 1 open packet and a lighter in one of my drawers (while i could easily not smoke during a 4h car trip - i got a no smoking policy for my car - i could not stay a single hour if i knew that i had run out of cigarettes).

Been almost 12 years since i quit smoking and never smoked another cigarette or put any other more or less similar substitute in my lungs.
Not even once.

 

[DANgerous25]

Hi all, life-long non-smoker here. Heart-felt post here in the hope that it helps someone. My parents both smoked in our house until I was 14, that was enough to put me off for life. I remember it seeming to consume their daily routine, get up, smoke, eat, smoke, watch tv, smoke, in the car, smoke, even smoke on the toilet. I just found it so awful I can't describe it well enough. My dad couldn't quit, although he pretended to, and continued to smoke all the way through to my late 30s. Then one day his coughing got bad enough that he went to a doctor and was diagnosed with lung cancer. He ended up having part of one of his lungs removed, which was a terrible experience for him and our family. Thankfully this was caught early enough and stopped the cancer. He stopped smoking and now leads a much less active life. He was pretty lucky, considering he smoked a lot all the way into his mid 70s. I remember visiting him in the recovery ward in hospital, where he was with a ward full of other poor blokes in similar situations - all seemed to be in their 50s+, same deal. The coughs, strains and general misery in that ward will always haunt me. Seeing the other sons and daughters and grandkids visit their dads, with tears in their eyes as their dads, like mine, showed positivity and mental strength even though they were hurting badly inside.

So if vapes can help to avoid that, gets my vote any day. I feel so sad to see the addiction, although some will say they enjoy it or there's no real harm.

Anyway, for anyone still smoking that wants to quit, I wish you all the best. It's hard, so hard. It took my dad a lifetime but he got the kick in the teeth that he needed. Some won't be so lucky. If you're struggling for motivation and you can't do it for yourself, do it for your friends/kids/family. Think about what they think. Being one of those dads [or mum] in the ward, or one in the ground, is surely somewhere you don't want to end up.

 

[o2thaZ]

Just quit it or not.
There is NO 'better' option.
As a matter of fact..vaping is even worse!

The only thing wich works quickly are the pills you get at your local doctor.
It's a kind of speed but hey: it works.

o7

 

[Non Grata]

At least Cigarettes industry is heavily regulated and we know exactly what we put in our lungs - not so much with vaping.

This is far from the case. There are about 4,000 different chemicals in cigarettes. Only about 800 of those have been studied, and include some substances known to be toxic.

Vaping only puts a few chemicals in your lungs. Yes some of them haven't been tested and the long term affects are unknown, but I'd rather take my chances with three substances of unknown effect than 3,000-4,000 thousand, some of which are known to give you cancer.

 

[Necronaught]

If you want to stop, simply stop, and be disciplined. Yeah I know. PC gamers are usually over weight and live off pizza and energy drinks so you are already at a disadvantage by being undisciplined. Just get it done.

 

[Northpin]

This is far from the case. There are about 4,000 different chemicals in cigarettes. Only about 800 of those have been studied, and include some substances known to be toxic.

Vaping only puts a few chemicals in your lungs. Yes some of them haven't been tested and the long term affects are unknown, but I'd rather take my chances with three substances of unknown effect than 3,000-4,000 thousand, some of which are known to give you cancer.

I'm not advocating regular smoking (tobacco) - i'm just saying it's a strictly regulated business. Which it is.
Vaping industry is not. And it's effects in the long run are not known.

And i said that vaping it not the way to quit smoking.
Simply quitting smoking is the way, not replacing it with a less studied and possibly as harmful habit.
OP could simply swap (for short term) smoking for some sugar free mints.

 

[Juniper]

As a smoker of ~30 years (around 10 of those exclusively vaping), I have to say that no, vaping is not a good way to quit smoking.

It's a very good way to ingest nicotine in a habitually familiar way that does significantly less harm to you, and those around you. So I'd recommend them to any smoker. But as a quitting aid? No.

Only way to stop smoking is simply to decide to stop... and stick to that decision. One of these days, I will.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

No, the vaping did nothing nicotine chewing gum helped. In the end the constant coughing made me quit. The chewing gum I took to battle the withdrawals. They have now replaced the smoking (2 years) but I still take them. But I rather not go back to the smoking.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

I got the coughing just when lying down for sleep - it irritated me - but not enough. Then one day I caught the flu and the coughing just didn't stop and I told myself: "This is what it's like when I dont stop." and I went into pharmacy, bought chewing gum with nicotine and haven't touched a cig since. I know I just exchanged habit and addiction for another, but it way less and much less harmful. I even can go without most of the day now. Getting really ill basically helped me twice to stop smoking, some 30 years I did so, too, but I went back to the smoking. I wont make that mistake again - fingers crossed.
It's not really a good suggestion and don't try to catch a bug deliberately, but in case you feel very sick - try to use that to your advantage and get off the smoke for that occasion. Imagine you feeling sick because of the smoking. Put all the blame on it and this is your picture how life is gonna be when you're older. Unless you stop and you can do it. I know I am prone to addiction stuff - I was lucky to get stuck on nicotine and coffee and not harder stuff, it showed me that I mustnt ever try anything more stupid.

And if I can do it - you can do it too.

 

[Northpin]

As a smoker of ~30 years (around 10 of those exclusively vaping), I have to say that no, vaping is not a good way to quit smoking.

It's a very good way to ingest nicotine in a habitually familiar way that does significantly less harm to you, and those around you. So I'd recommend them to any smoker. But as a quitting aid? No.

Only way to stop smoking is simply to decide to stop... and stick to that decision. One of these days, I will.

This is the same pattern i noticed to all my acquittances that tried to quit smoking by using e-stuff
They either kept on vaping/e-cigs or they got back to normal smoking saying e-stuff does not quite do it for them.

So yea, if OP wants to quit, they should really quit.

 

[Juniper]

This is the same pattern i noticed to all my acquittances that tried to quit smoking by using e-stuff
They either kept on vaping/e-cigs or they got back to normal smoking saying e-stuff does not quite do it for them.

This - I used a vape as healthier alternative to cigs for years. Then my e-cig broke, couldn't afford to replace it, and I started rolling my own instead. Found it a lot better, especially with the lying down at night & coughing thing. Now I have a new e-cig, I'm planning to wean myself back onto it.

So yea, if OP wants to quit, they should really quit.

There's really no magic formula to quitting. You either want to quit, or you don't, and using 'aids' just convinces you that you don't. There's weird psychology at play here.

If the OP wants to quit, cold turkey really is the only way IMO. It's painful, but the worst of it is over in a couple of weeks.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

This - I used a vape as healthier alternative to cigs for years. Then my e-cig broke, couldn't afford to replace it, and I started rolling my own instead. Found it a lot better, especially with the lying down at night & coughing thing. Now I have a new e-cig, I'm planning to wean myself back onto it.



There's really no magic formula to quitting. You either want to quit, or you don't, and using 'aids' just convinces you that you don't. There's weird psychology at play here.

If the OP wants to quit, cold turkey really is the only way IMO. It's painful, but the worst of it is over in a couple of weeks.

It's not just the cold turkey. It's the habit, too. I replaced it with chewing gums but didn't actually tackle the habit itself. It just shifted a bit. Cold turkey isn't so tough, for me the habit is the difficult part.

 

[maksbeb15]

I don't know about you guys, but it didn't work for me (

 

[nemolomen]

I have been a smoker for roughly 40 years (since about 12 years old). I know nothing about vaping.

I'm currently not smoking since 8/8/21. I have "quit" many times over the years. Of all the times I have quit, the longest cessations were when I just quit. No gum, no drugs, no substitutes, no helpers. Just quit. It is hard but it is soooo worth it.

The withdrawals last about 2 to 3 weeks, maybe a little longer for some people. Not thinking about smoking daily takes a month or two. This time its been at least a month since the last time I thought I wanted a cigarette.

Even now I can't imagine going back to it. The longest I've ever not smoked is about 3.5 years. I'm hoping to beat that record this time, along with a good large margin.

 

[Zieman]

Even now I can't imagine going back to it. The longest I've ever not smoked is about 3.5 years. I'm hoping to beat that record this time, along with a good large margin.

What did get you hooked again previously?
Can you avoid that/those pitfall(s) now?

 

[nemolomen]

What did get you hooked again previously?
Can you avoid that/those pitfall(s) now?

The stress of having adult children...

Sometimes...

Wife and I are both smokers. We either quit at the same time or we smoke together. What usually happens is one of us falls off the wagon and is then joined by the other...

(We are together 24/7. We work/cook/eat/sleep/clean/shop/etc. together. The only thing we don't do together is play ED. I play while she watches TV or visits with some family member. Yes, we realize most people can't live with their SO in that manner, but it works for us.)

 

[sergeinick]

Yes. Thanks to the vape, I quit smoking. But now I'm addicted to vape and I think it's useless.

 

[Scannexa]

Hi all, life-long non-smoker here. Heart-felt post here in the hope that it helps someone. My parents both smoked in our house until I was 14, that was enough to put me off for life. I remember it seeming to consume their daily routine, get up, smoke, eat, smoke, watch tv, smoke, in the car, smoke, even smoke on the toilet. I just found it so awful I can't describe it well enough. My dad couldn't quit, although he pretended to, and continued to smoke all the way through to my late 30s. Then one day his coughing got bad enough that he went to a doctor and was diagnosed with lung cancer. He ended up having part of one of his lungs removed, which was a terrible experience for him and our family. Thankfully this was caught early enough and stopped the cancer. He stopped smoking and now leads a much less active life. He was pretty lucky, considering he smoked a lot all the way into his mid 70s. I remember visiting him in the recovery ward in hospital, where he was with a ward full of other poor blokes in similar situations - all seemed to be in their 50s+, same deal. The coughs, strains and general misery in that ward will always haunt me. Seeing the other sons and daughters and grandkids visit their dads, with tears in their eyes as their dads, like mine, showed positivity and mental strength even though they were hurting badly inside.

So if vapes can help to avoid that, gets my vote any day. I feel so sad to see the addiction, although some will say they enjoy it or there's no real harm.

Anyway, for anyone still smoking that wants to quit, I wish you all the best. It's hard, so hard. It took my dad a lifetime but he got the kick in the teeth that he needed. Some won't be so lucky. If you're struggling for motivation and you can't do it for yourself, do it for your friends/kids/family. Think about what they think. Being one of those dads [or mum] in the ward, or one in the ground, is surely somewhere you don't want to end up.

It's heartbreaking to witness loved ones suffer from smoking-related illnesses.

 

[nigeljk]

TL; DR;
Gave up with patches twice, both times for years. Always lapsed.
Vaping is good for the tobacco companies.

My GP prescribed Zyban. You take it while smoking for week. The Zyban attaches to the nicotine receptors in the brain. You never want another cigarette EVER. Cigarette companies, patch manufactures and vape companies hate it. Ask your GP for it by name. They can't refuse.