How To Use an E Cig to Stop Smoking

If you have landed at this page it means you want to quit smoking. You have chosen an ecig to do the job. You may have already tried nicotine patches, nicotine gum or nicotine inhalers and you didn’t get the right satisfaction, leaving you craving cigarettes. Now you want to know how to use an e cig to stop smoking.

Congratulations, this is the first step on your journey to becoming smoke free. 

E-cigarettes have been the successful tool for millions of people to make the switch from combustible cigarettes to vaping. Let’s look further at how to use an e cig to stop smoking. 

Can you quit smoking with electronic cigarettes?

Yes, is the short answer. The amazing thing about quitting smoking and starting vaping is that there doesn’t need to be a ceremonial ‘last cig’. There is no packet stomping or finality to it. It so successfully replicates the sensation of smoking you are used to that the switch is simple.

It is always best to try and stick to the rule of ‘not even one’. Not only will you feel better if you manage to completely stay away from cigarettes, but having a target is always best. 

What happens when you quit smoking and start vaping?

When you quit smoking and start vaping changes can be immediate. Every single cigarette you don’t smoke is doing you good. But quitting the cigarettes for good can start to a positive chain of events. 

E-cigarettes don’t contain the 4000+ chemicals and carcinogens as traditional tobacco cigarettes do. As little as eight hours after having your last cigarette your body will start to rid itself of the excess carbon monoxide in its blood. This means your oxygen levels start improving and returning to normal. E-cigarettes do not contain carbon monoxide, so switching to vaping gives your body the opportunity to start to detoxify. Over the next 12 months your body will go through some dramatic changes as you start to live a smokefree life. Your sense of taste and smell will improve. Your lung function is improved, your risk of heart disease and stroke are dramatically reduced. All of these things start to happen as soon as you put the cigarettes down.

How do e-cigs help you stop smoking?

Whether you have decided to make the switch from smoking to vaping for financial or heath reasons or simply because you don’t want to smell like an ashtray anymore, an e-cig can help you stop smoking. 

E-cigs are proven to be one of the most successful smoking cessation products in recent years. There are more and more people making the switch from cigarettes and realising their potential. 

But what makes vaping so popular when it comes to quitting smoking. The reason is simple, they are the only replacement for smoking that successfully addresses the true sensation of smoking. 

Other Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRT) deliver nicotine to the body, either through patches, gums or sprays. But they don’t seek to replication the feelings you get when smoking or the physical habit. 

E-cigs cover all of these smoking triggers, this helps smokers avoid cravings and helps to combat habits, sensations and behaviours.

Smoking triggers

Inhaling and exhaling – Going cold turkey or using NRT products means that the sensation and release of inhaling and exhaling are lost. This key behaviour is something that many smokers miss. When vaping you inhale the vapour into your lungs and exhale a cloud of vapour. This is extremely similar to the sensation of smoking. 

Nicotine delivery – Whereas NRT products deliver nicotine, it is done in a way that the smoker has little to no control over how much they are actually getting. Some smokers report that patches for example can make them feel like they gotten too much nicotine. There is also little to no choice in terms of strength. E-liquid also delivers nicotine, but in the same way as smoking. There is also much more control over the amount of nicotine and the frequency in which you vape. Couple this with a wide choice of nicotine strengths and it is covered by electronic cigarettes. 

Throat hit – This is an extremely difficult sensation to explain to a none smoker. Smokers know it only too well. It is a type of sensory response in the throat. A warmth / tingling that lets you know you have inhaled something. Vaping gives you the same throat hit, but with much more control thanks to the choice in e-liquid nicotine strengths and flavours. Hand to mouth action – This is a physical habit that a lot of smokers miss when they try to quit cold turkey. Vaping means you have the same hand to mouth action as when you were smoking.

Can you stop nicotine with e cigs?

The short answer is yes, you absolutely can. A lot of smokers who make the switch to vaping slowly move down nicotine strengths until they are comfortably vaping zero nicotine. Some then quit vaping all together or keep an e-cig with zero nicotine e-liquid nearby just in case. 

The beauty with e-cigs is that you don’t have to quit if you don’t want to. There is no pressure to quickly rush through nicotine strengths and quit. You can go completely at your own pace. Some people find that they will always need to stay on a high nicotine strength to keep themselves from smoking and this is fine. Others will drop down quickly and continue to vape at a low strength.

Zero nicotine e-liquid

Zero nicotine e-liquid can be a scary prospect for some. But it doesn’t need to be. You don’t have to set a date or say today is the day (although you might do that anyway). 

The best way to tackle vaping zero nicotine e-liquid is to take it slowly. 

There are only three ingredients in no nicotine e-liquid. Two diluents and flavouring. If you stick to the flavour of e-liquid you are used to, you may find the change from nicotine containing e-liquid to zero nic even easier. 

Most vapers will slowly lower their e-liquid strength over the course of months or even years. As previously mentioned, some will get to a low strength and stay there. Happy to continue vaping a low strength nicotine. 

All you need to remember is that as long as you are vaping and no longer smoking, you are doing things right. 

Will I crave cigarettes with an e cig?

While e-cigs are one of the best ways to quit smoking, there may still be times that you still crave cigarettes. For most smokers the problem tends to arise with the habitual cigarettes. Such as the one first thing in the morning with a coffee, after food, or while driving. 

There are steps you can take to curb these smoking cravings.

If there is a time when you know you crave a cigarette put things in place so you know these cravings will be covered. Maybe slightly increase your nicotine strength around these times. Make sure your e-cig battery is fully charged and your tank is full of e-liquid so it is on hand if you need it. 

If your e-cig is still not cutting it even with a higher e-liquid strength, then maybe a change in coil resistance to a sub-ohm coil or more power from your e-cig will help. With these changes to your e-cig you can get more throat hit and more vapour production. A common misconception is that raising your e-liquid strength once you have successfully lowered it is a bad thing. It’s not. Again, as long as you aren’t smoking cigarettes you are winning.

What e-cig should I use to quit smoking?

The first thing to keep in mind is that vaping and smoking are not the same thing. While e-cigs successfully replicate the feeling of smoking, they are extremely different. 

Smoking is simple, it’s easy to light up a cigarette. Vaping takes longer and e-cigs require some light upkeep. You need to charge your battery, top up your vape tank with e-liquid and parts will need replacing after a period of time. This is why choosing the right e-cig is vitally important. 

There is an e-cig for everyone. There might just be some trial and error at first to find what is perfectly suited to you as a smoker. If you find yourself frustrated with your e-cig it can be easy to slip back into the “A pack of fags is easier” mindset. 

You need to strike a balance between ease of use and vaping satisfaction. Pick an e-cig that you find easy to use, easy to maintain and an e-liquid that you love the taste of and can vape all day. You have to enjoy vaping, not just put up with it. 

While there is a perfect e-cig for everyone, there is no universal kit to fit everyone. This is why there is so much choice in the vaping world. The best place to start is usually the starter kit section. Here you will find a range of e-cigs with everything from pods, to pen style and box mods. They come with everything you need to start vaping, including e-liquid. They are usually the ideal e-cigs to start your vaping journey.