Doctors all around the world for decades now have been talking about the harmful effects of cigarettes, but it’s only just recently that the means for an easier transition out of the smoker’s area has presented itself.
Since its introduction in 2006, vaping has helped smoker’s all over the world quit their habit. In 2019 alone, 31% of smokers quit with the help of a vape pen. If you’re still smoking traditional cigarettes and thinking of quitting, take a look at our guide to easing you out of smoking.
Why should you stop smoking?
You should see results from quitting smoking right away. As soon as 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your blood pressure and pulse will return to normal. Within eight hours your oxygen levels will go up.
Days into quitting, you’ve already decreased your risk of a heart attack and your damaged nerve endings will start to regrow. This means your fingers will be less numb and you will notice smell and taste more. You will also start to breathe easier because the lungs have started to relax and open more.
If you make it a week, congratulations! You’ve hit the hardest milestone and you’re nine times more likely to quit for good. You’ll walk easier, have more energy, handle stress better and be less at risk for cancer, strokes, heart attacks and coronary heart disease.
Choosing your e-cigarette
Do you want something as close to a real cigarette as possible, or does the allure of trying something newer and better excite you?
The first choice is what vape pen you want. Maybe you want something that will deliver a fast and hard hit like Mouth-To-Lung devices, so that you can puff once and move on with your day? Or do you want something bulky that will hold a lot of juice, both of the e-liquid and energy variety? Or maybe you want a tank, that will offer the biggest experience either in flavour or nicotine hit?
More than the physical symptoms, the hardest part of quitting can be the psychological. A vape pen can appease your need to keep your hands and mouth busy, as well as the social aspect you may be missing out on at nights out or outside the office. If you would rather, there are vape pens that look like a traditional cigarette, and even e-liquids that smell like tobacco, adding another two senses duped to avoid cravings. These are all helpful if your approach to quitting is to pretend that nothing has changed: you’re just having a smoke outside the pub like everyone else.
If that doesn’t appeal to you, or you want a newer, less harmful experience, there are many forms of vape pens and mods for every feature like controlling temperature, safety cut-offs and sub-ohm capabilities. There is everything on the market that can cater to your needs and make your switch from smoking to vaping as easy as possible. Shop for mechanical mods at any vape shop in your area.
Choosing your e-liquid
If you are looking to quit smoking entirely, it doesn’t need to be a cold turkey experience of withdrawal and cravings. You can buy e-liquids based on the strength of the nicotine in them. Gradually lower the dose of nicotine you’re buying in your e-liquids and find that your body has eased into quitting.
If you are a heavy smoker (20 or more cigarettes a day) you should use 18mg of nicotine in an e-liquid. Medium smokers (between 10 and 20) should opt for 12mg e-liquid and light smokers (up to 10 cigarettes a day) should look for 3mg.
But experiment with flavours. This experience may as well be as fun as possible.
Learn to vape
Be patient. You won’t be a vaper overnight. Perhaps buy some disposable Puff Bars to give the idea a try before you invest.
If you do buy a vape pen, alternate between it and cigarettes to ease into it and avoid the mood swings and cravings. Start by replacing one cigarette break with an e-cigarette break.
It might surprise some, but they are not one in the same actions with different tools. Smoking is about getting that hit hard and fast, where vaping is about enjoying the experience. Don’t constantly take hard drags from your vape pen expecting the same result. You will get on better with a vape with long soft inhales, like how a sleeping app tells you. And remember that it holds a lot more and will last a lot longer, tempting you to stand there and puff forever. Be aware of your habits and perhaps set a time.
If you follow this guide you should be ready to make the transition from smoking to vaping. Your body, your mind, your people around you and society at large will probably thank you.
