Many people interested in how to quit vaping think it’s easier than stopping cigarette use, but that’s simply not true. Quitting vaping can sometimes be harder than quitting cigarettes.
Unfortunately, the fun, fruity vape juice and stylish Juul pods are popular with teens and high school kids, and the electronic cigarette vaping trend has become a worldwide phenomenon.
Quit Vaping Month
March is Vaping Awareness Month to educate people about the dangers of e-cigarettes and offer reasons not to start and ways to stop vaping.
There were approximately seven million vapers in 2011 and this figure shot up to 41 million in 2018. The trend rapidly gained ground, and the global e-cigarette market increased to be worth $19.3 billion.
Before the outbreak of lung associated injuries in the United States happened, everyone considered e-cigarettes and vaping to be safe.
In 2019, 1,080 lung injury cases had been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and there had been twenty-six confirmed deaths.
In response, one city and three states enforced a ban on e-cigarettes – San Francisco, Michigan, New York, and Massachusetts. Vaping is clearly not a safe practice, and it’s highly addictive.
Michael Joseph Blaha, M.D., is the director of clinical research at Johns Hopkins Center for Heart Disease Prevention. He shares some facts about vaping that are important to know for anyone considering how to quit vaping.
Fortunately, data from the FDA and CDC presented in the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) showed that middle and high school student e-cigarette use decreased from 2.80 million in 2023 to 2.25 million in 2024.
Some students have quit vaping and using hookahs in the past few years and part of the decline is due to vaping awareness campaigns.
As difficult as it can be to stop vaping, below are some tips that will help.
Tips For How to Quit Vaping
Tip 1 – How To Stop Vaping by Setting a Date
Many people advise setting a date to stop vaping. This plan can work for some, but it can backfire if you’re in denial of the problem and make excuses as to why now is not the right time.
The truth is, you can make an impulsive decision to quitting vaping cold turkey or set a date. Either way, you need to have a strong reason to stop. Set the intention to stop now because starting early is easier than letting it get out of control.
Make a firm decision in your mind that you are going to quit vaping e-cigarettes or Juuling for good. Then stick firmly with your decision.
If you do set a date, stick with it and don’t let the date drift off into next week or next month. As the ancient proverb states, “There’s no time like the present, and a thousand unforeseen circumstances may interrupt you at a future time.”
Tip 2 – Find Substitutes to Help Quit Vaping
Vaping is a physical oral habit, and some people will miss the experience of putting the vape in their mouth.
For this reason, find substitutes to help quit vaping and make sure to stock up on healthy snacks or other things that will keep your hands and mouth occupied.
Good Substitutes to Help Quit Vaping Include:
- Bubble gum or chewing gum
- Toothpicks
- Straws to chew on
- Hard candies
- Lollipops
- Pumpkin seeds
- Popsicles
- Pretzel sticks
- Popcorn
Try to substitute a food or snack flavor that reminds you of vaping. If you use strawberry flavored juice, find gum or candy that tastes the same, or maybe snack on fresh or dried strawberries. This will mentally and physically help overcome missing out on the vaping ritual.
Keep in mind that people sometimes gain weight after they quit smoking so be sure to limit the amount of sugary or processed foods, at least in the long run.
In the beginning, don’t be too concerned with this, as the goal is to use anything that will provide an adequate substitute for overcoming the oral fixation of vaping.
In addition to the physical routine of a having a vape in the hand to fiddle with or putting something in the mouth, there is also the mental aspect to any form of smoking.
Meditation and yoga are good replacements to overcome the mental side of vaping and they fit perfectly into a healthier lifestyle.
Both meditation and yoga focus on the mind and breathing, and they are also excellent ways to reduce stress.
Instead of reaching for a smoke to deal with a stressful situation at home or work, take a moment to focus on breathing and being mindful of your breath and surroundings.
Regular exercise is also a good substitute because it boosts happy chemicals in the brain to reduce the stress and anxiety of quitting vaping and nicotine.
Tip 3 – How to Quit Vaping by Asking for Help
Trying to give up an addictive substance or habit on our own is difficult and can lead to relapse. Don’t take it personally and understand this happens to most people.
If you’re serious about quitting vaping, put your pride aside and ask for help. Admit you currently have a problem with vaping, and you really want to rid yourself of the habit.
You could find a friend, family member, or get professional help. The downside of going it alone is that stressful triggers often take over and we fall back to old habits.
Ask a doctor to suggest a nicotine substitute, and make sure to let friends and family members know you are trying to quit vaping so they can offer support and not smoke around you if possible.
Chantix is one type of medication used for smoking cessation. It is a nicotine agonist drug intended to reduce cravings.
Have a positive support system and ask for professional help if needed as you overcome your addiction.
Tip 4 – How to Stop Vaping by Weaning Off Nicotine
For some people, quitting cold turkey is the most effective option. But for many others, the best way to stop vaping is by weaning off nicotine first.
Vaping is partly habitual – the act of holding something in the hand and putting it in the mouth. Vapes and e-cigarettes contain nicotine and it is one of the most addictive substances available.
Vape juice comes in varying nicotine strengths, and by gradually reducing the amount of nicotine intake, it’s possible to wean off the addiction to it.
Instead of the usual 24 mg of nicotine, begin by cutting it back to 12 mg of nicotine concentrate for a week. At week two, cut it back to 6 mg of nicotine.
For week three, switch to 0 mg juice that is nicotine-free, and stay at that level for another week. This will reduce the cravings for nicotine, but it still won’t help with the habit of vaping.
At this point, cut back on the number of times you vape each day. Try to get down to one or two times a day for a week. The following week, only smoke once a day.
After that, try alternating one day smoking and one day not smoking. Eventually, it will get much easier until you can stop vaping altogether.
It might take a long time to wean off, but at some point in the future it will be possible to quit vaping altogether and be completely free of smoking.
The same method used for weaning off nicotine can also be used for those who want to quit vaping marijuana.
Tip 5 – Vaping Withdrawal – This Too Shall Pass
Vaping withdrawal is very real, and the physical withdrawal symptoms from nicotine will be fleeting and most intense on the first few days after you stop vaping.
Vape withdrawal isn’t as painful as giving up hard drugs, but nicotine is very powerful and there may be some growing pains, so recognize them as such.
Vaping Withdrawal Symptoms Include:
- Headaches
- Irritability and restlessness
- Nicotine cravings
- Increased appetite
- Anxiety, depression, and mood swings
- Tremors
- Trouble concentrating
- Difficulty sleeping
There isn’t much that can be done to stop vaping withdrawal completely until the body adjusts, although nicotine replacement therapy can be helpful to stop or reduce the symptoms.
This type of therapy uses small amounts of nicotine in gum, tablets or patches.
Welcome the change and understand that the cravings will pass. Do something positive or healthy in the moment to distract yourself from these feelings.
Go for a walk, exercise, meditate, or make a juice smoothie. When facing cravings, remember the saying, “this too shall pass.”
The most intense feelings of physical withdrawal and cravings usually diminish after the first week, and the addiction will begin to subside.
Nicotine withdrawal can last about one month and will get much easier after that time.
Unfortunately, the psychological dependence often lasts longer than the physical one, and this could several months for the mental cravings to fade away.
Find healthy activities to help with vaping withdrawal and it can be easier when doing it with a friend who I also trying to quit vaping.
Temporary pleasures often lead to pain, and every time you think about using e-cigarettes, switch your thoughts to how grateful you are that you’re learning how to quit vaping.
Tip 6 – One Vape is Too Much
Once you quit vaping, if you find yourself thinking things like, “I’ll just have one,” it’s important to realize this is a mental trap. If you have just one hit, you’ll need to start over from the beginning.
After getting through the first week, it will become so much easier. Learn to avoid the trap of “just one vape” on a night out or when dealing with stress and you’ll thank yourself later.
This ties in with Tip 2 of finding healthy substitutes. When you’re tempted to have just one, do something else or simply remind yourself that you’re a non-smoker now.
Tip 7 – How to Quit Vaping by Getting Rid of All Vape Gear
Keeping anything related to vaping around after quitting only tempts fate. Rid your home, car, work, and all personal effects of anything to do with e-cigarettes or vapes.
Immediately after making the decision to quit vaping, get rid of all electronic cigarettes, vaporizers, vape juice cartridges, and anything else that might make you think about it.
You are a non-smoker now and you don’t need anything related to vaping, so be clear about your decision and get rid of all vape gear.
Learning how to quit vaping by using these tips is the first step.
When you stop vaping, you will not only save money, but it will improve your health and may even save your life from the harmful effects of nicotine and smoke.
Remember you made the wise choice to stop vaping, so take a moment to congratulate yourself every time you think about it.
Quit Vaping FAQS
How long does it take to quit vaping?
The time it takes to quit vaping will vary for each person, depending on several factors such as how long they have been vaping, how much they vape each day, and if it is a habit vs addiction, among other things.
Any long-term habit can be difficult to change, and nicotine addiction can make it more complicated because it involves withdrawal.
The symptoms of physical withdrawal will be the most intense during the first few days and will begin to subside within a week.
By the second or third week after quitting vaping, the physical symptoms will decrease even more, although the psychological symptoms may increase.
Within a month or two, most people feel better physically and mentally as the cravings subside.
Making it to the two-month mark and beyond without vaping is a very positive sign and every day get easier after that.
What are the long-term health benefits of quitting vaping?
Many of the long-term health benefits of quitting vaping are related to the heart and lungs, although it can have a positive impact on the entire body.
The main benefits include:
- Improved blood flow and blood vessel functioning
- Reduced risk of stroke and heart attack
- Improved lung health and breathing capacity
- Decreased respiratory issues
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Lower cancer risk
- Better skin, teeth, and oral health
What happens to your body when you stop vaping?
Immediately after a person stops vaping, the body begins the repair process as it rids itself of nicotine and smoke.
Within 20 minutes, heart rate, circulation, and blood pressure start returning to normal levels.
One day after quitting, carbon monoxide levels drop and oxygen levels increase, which reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Three days later, a person will notice an enhanced sense of smell and foods taste more flavorful.
One month after quitting vaping, breathing and respiratory health improves as the lungs heal and circulation is increased.
The body’s repair and healing will continue to improve each month after abstaining from vaping and e-cigarettes.
What are common withdrawal symptoms when you quit vaping?
When you quit vaping, it’s common to experience a variety of withdrawal symptoms caused by nicotine cessation, or even marijuana. These include:
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Anxiety and stress
- Headaches
- Insomnia or trouble sleeping
- Cravings for nicotine (or marijuana)
- Appetite changes and increased hunger
- Digestive issues
- Fatigue
- Dry throat and coughing
How long do withdrawal symptoms last after you quit vaping?
Most people experience physical and mental withdrawal symptoms after they quit vaping and the first week is generally the worst.
It can take 3 or 4 weeks for the physical symptoms to become manageable and they will get easier as time goes on.
The mental and emotional symptoms can take quite a bit longer and some people may experience cravings and anxiety for several months or longer.
It’s important to exercise and get regular sleep to boost mood and focus during vape withdrawal.
