You can do it Gillian. My husband was in this same predicament. Started vaping to quit smoking and soon enough the vape was everywhere, he needed to take a puff every few minutes. It was an expensive addiction. The only solution was to quit cold turkey and stop lying to himself. You're already aware that you're not doing anything better than smoking cigarettes, which is a massive part of "stop lying to yourself"!
Now, some 3 years vape free, we can only look back at that time and shake our heads. His health improved tenfold after he quit, and his lung health in particular is incomparable.
I smoked from 14-25 and switched to vape then, I'm now nearly 36. I think as with many things it's wider than just the nicotine. My vape has 3mg and I could probably do 0 (I have done) but with ADHD it helps as an oral fixation, it helps with anxiety and I find it a way to leave a room, get 5 minutes when I need it without any panic of what I'm going to say. As with all things there is balance but for me I couldn't be without it. It's more than just a vape, it's far more than a cigarette.
Disposable vapes shouldn't really be necessary (given the set ups available which are sustainable and cost effective) and I don't agree with all the teens use but hopefully the changes coming in will resolve those things.
Could not relate more!!!! When they stopped the sale of clicky, menthol cigs I became a non-smoker (when sober). Then bought a vape for the first time on a business trip so I wouldn’t want to smoke after a few drinks.
Fast forward a few years and I panic more about losing my vape than losing my phone 🤦♀️. Can’t imagine how I’d quit at this stage. Chokehold is right
What a thought provoking point on how sometimes what we choose as replacements for swapping out a bad habit can have their own pitfalls. Something we can all relate to. There seems to be a few recommendations for how to quit vaping. If you find a method that works for you, it’d be interesting to hear about. Good luck!!!
Massively resonate. I discovered cutting down doesn't work with vaping as it did for me smoking. Finally kicked it quite recently (& gone back to the occasional cig on nights out)...
As someone who was a casual smoker pre-child but didn’t get on the vape train (she was born in 2015 so I think it was a bit too early?) I’ve often thought that I’d rather my daughter try proper cigs if she’s ever curious rather than picking up a vape. Thanks for writing this x
Seeing my mother gasping for breath after suffering from coughing fits was enough to make me a nonsmoker. She smoked for 30 years and eventually was able to stop. Unfortunately, she died of lung cancer. I suggest talking to your doctor about getting help to stop vaping.
You can do it Gillian. My husband was in this same predicament. Started vaping to quit smoking and soon enough the vape was everywhere, he needed to take a puff every few minutes. It was an expensive addiction. The only solution was to quit cold turkey and stop lying to himself. You're already aware that you're not doing anything better than smoking cigarettes, which is a massive part of "stop lying to yourself"!
Now, some 3 years vape free, we can only look back at that time and shake our heads. His health improved tenfold after he quit, and his lung health in particular is incomparable.
You CAN do it.
I smoked from 14-25 and switched to vape then, I'm now nearly 36. I think as with many things it's wider than just the nicotine. My vape has 3mg and I could probably do 0 (I have done) but with ADHD it helps as an oral fixation, it helps with anxiety and I find it a way to leave a room, get 5 minutes when I need it without any panic of what I'm going to say. As with all things there is balance but for me I couldn't be without it. It's more than just a vape, it's far more than a cigarette.
Disposable vapes shouldn't really be necessary (given the set ups available which are sustainable and cost effective) and I don't agree with all the teens use but hopefully the changes coming in will resolve those things.
Could not relate more!!!! When they stopped the sale of clicky, menthol cigs I became a non-smoker (when sober). Then bought a vape for the first time on a business trip so I wouldn’t want to smoke after a few drinks.
Fast forward a few years and I panic more about losing my vape than losing my phone 🤦♀️. Can’t imagine how I’d quit at this stage. Chokehold is right
What a thought provoking point on how sometimes what we choose as replacements for swapping out a bad habit can have their own pitfalls. Something we can all relate to. There seems to be a few recommendations for how to quit vaping. If you find a method that works for you, it’d be interesting to hear about. Good luck!!!
Thank you! A couple of people have been in touch to recommend nicotine lozenges so going to give them a try!
Massively resonate. I discovered cutting down doesn't work with vaping as it did for me smoking. Finally kicked it quite recently (& gone back to the occasional cig on nights out)...
I think this is going to be my approach tbh!
As someone who was a casual smoker pre-child but didn’t get on the vape train (she was born in 2015 so I think it was a bit too early?) I’ve often thought that I’d rather my daughter try proper cigs if she’s ever curious rather than picking up a vape. Thanks for writing this x
Great newsletter! I'm decidedly not a millennial, so it's interesting to hear about vaping.
This hits home, I am in the same place and think it's about time I stop!! Such a brave newsletter, thank you 💛
Seeing my mother gasping for breath after suffering from coughing fits was enough to make me a nonsmoker. She smoked for 30 years and eventually was able to stop. Unfortunately, she died of lung cancer. I suggest talking to your doctor about getting help to stop vaping.