3 Tips On How to Use an Electronic Cigarette to Quit Smoking

So you’ve decided to quit smoking cigarettes [finally saying goodbye to that nasty cigarette smoke], and are now looking for tips on how to do it with the help of a vape pen?

No worries — I’ve got you.

But first things first… stop, breath, and relax. Tap yourself on the back for making this courageous move that will soon free you of your nicotine addiction. You’re not alone here — millions of cigarette smokers around the world are using vaping to quit smoking, hoping to soon live a healthier life in a healthier body. And a lot of them are succeeding. You’ll be able to kick cigarette smoking to the curb, too.

Okay?

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Right, now that we’re done with all this manifestation crap [which is surprisingly helpful… but not as helpful as having an e-cigarette locked and loaded when those nicotine cravings hit], let’s get down to the nitty-gritty about why vaping is the best way to ditch tobacco products.

But… before I dive into it, I want to tell you that I understand the journey won’t be easy. And I know you know that, too. But here’s a bit of good news — in most cases, there will be three hurdles that you need to overcome. These three hurdles are also known as the ‘horrible smoking threes’.

Here’s what they are.

A Word On the ‘Horrible Threes’ of Quitting Smoking

If you’ve ever tried to quit smoking before, then you already know about the ‘horrible threes’. I’m talking about three specific times during which most smokers fail in their goal of quitting regular tobacco cigarettes — the third day, the third week, and the third month.

Now, not everyone goes through the ‘horrible threes’, but most people do. Here are some things you can expect when they hit… and a couple of tricks that will get you safely to the other side.

• the third day of quitting smoking — this is when you’ll feel the pangs of nicotine withdrawal. They won’t be terrible — keep your trusted vape pen by your side to prevent that [you’re still getting nicotine, just not as much of it as with smoking]. Eat 5 meals that day and drink a lot of water… and if you feel like your vape is not enough, wait a couple of minutes. The withdrawal symptoms will pass [they’re not a long-term thing], and you’ll realize that vaping is more than enough (check out our educational post about vaping coils and how long they can last here). If these withdrawal sympomts persist, you can look into extra nicotine replacement products over the hump – this will depend on the number of cigarettes you usually smoke].
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• the third week of quitting smoking — this is when psychological addiction kicks in. You feel you’re in withdrawal, but that’s just your mind playing tricks on you. Reaffirm your commitment to vaping — buy some spare coils and extra vape juice in your favorite flavor. Also, identify your triggers [hunger, anger, and tiredness], and up your e-cigarette use when they hit [anything to avoid regular tobacco use… and I mean anything!].
• the third month of quitting smoking — this is when most people relapse and the reason is general boredom and the lingering question of ‘is that it?’ You expected more from quitting… like your life was gonna change magically. That’s already happening, but you can’t see it. Keep telling yourself that you’re healthier now; your lungs are better, your heart is better, and your mood is better. Stick to vaping and this too shall pass.

The ‘horrible threes’ are even more horrible when you’re quitting cold turkey, but this doesn’t mean that they don’t happen if you’re using electronic cigarettes. Plus, they can happen on other days in your cessation journey. Whenever they do hit, make sure that you are reaffirming your commitment to quitting by not allowing yourself a single puff. Your vape device is all you need right now.

Okay, enough about the ‘horrible threes’. Let’s get into vaping-to-quit-smoking specific advice!

3 Easy-to-Follow Tips On Using a Vape Device to Quit Smoking

#1 Have Your Vape Supplies Ready & Waiting

Or in other words, stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.

When using vaping to quit smoking, your vape essentials take the spotlight, especially during the first week when the cravings are strongest. You don’t want your e-cig to go bust on day #3 now, do you? And you definitely don’t want to go through all of your vape juice on a weekend. Yikes!

So here are four things [gear-wise] to focus on once you commit to using an e-cigarette to quitting smoking:

• your e-cigarette — first step, don’t go for a fancy vape mod when you’re just starting out. It’s complicated, it’s expensive and, frankly, you don’t need it. The simpler your vaping product is, the easier it is to use, and the more likely you are to actually use it. Personally, I would recommend our Slim Oil Premium vape pen. It was made for beginner vapers, and it’s exactly what you need at this stage of your journey. Alternatively [and if you want something with a bit more weight], you can check out our Jiggly vaporizer — it’s a 3 in 1 vape that you can use for oils and concentrates.
  

• a spare [always] — get two of whatever e-cigarettes you decide on using. Trust me, you don’t want to get stranded with zero battery life just as your cravings are coming on. That’s why it’s always smart to have a spare. If you’re using a mod with external batteries, make sure that you buy extra batteries [and that they’re charged for when you need them].
  

• lots of e-liquid — in your first week of using an e-cigarette, you’ll probably go through around 60 milliliters of e-juice. Buy 120 milliliters, just in case. Also, buy several different flavors, and at least two different nicotine strengths [more on that below]. Better safe than sorry, that’s my motto [and it should be yours, too].
  

• extra coils [and tanks] — again, better safe than sorry. Vape coils are designed to last for a couple of weeks, depending on usage. Have a couple of them on standby so you can easily replace a coil if it dies on you. You can also invest in a spare tank or two — this will come in handy if you want to use different flavors of e-juice on a whim.

#2 Think Long and Hard About Vape Juice Flavors…

This is where the versatility of e-cigarettes really shines. It’s not like tobacco smoke, where you have one flavor — the disgusting one — and you’re stuck with it.

With vaping, there are hundreds of different e-liquid flavors on the market — from strawberry and banana, all the way to shrimp [yuck] and avocado [double yuck]. If you want to successfully use vaping to cease smoking, you need to find the right one for you.

I suggest trying a couple of different flavors until you find the one that you can use throughout the day. Based on my talks with hundreds of new vapers, you might hit it off well with anything fruity, cake-y, or tabacco-y.

But your mileage here may vary… 

You might prefer something else, but you won’t know until you try. So what should you do? Well, my suggestion is to get at least 30ml e-juice from all three categories + a food flavor that you like [menthol, or peppermint, or something else]. It’s fair to assume that you’ll find your flavor among these, and then you can simply order it in bulk. This flavor versatility is really what makes e-cigarettes a great substitute for traditional cigarettes..

… And Think Even Harder About Your Nicotine Strength

The strength of nicotine in your vape juice can make or break it for you. It’s the difference between using e-cigarettes as a cessation tool or using them as an expensive hobby.

Here’s why…

Numero #1 — it’s the nicotine that gives you that ‘close-to-tobacco-cigarette’ feel. If there’s too little of it, you walk away feeling as if you didn’t do anything. Your throat says ‘meh’. If there’s too much of it, your throat says ‘whoa!’. Just right, and you get the same sensation as smoking.

Numero #2 — too little nicotine just won’t cut it. You won’t be able to tame your cravings and they’ll get the better of you. The last thing you want is to invest in all this vaping gear only to have a too low nic strength and revert back to smoking. Watch out for that.

The key is balance — enough nicotine to tide you through while mimicking smoking.

So what’s the right amount of nicotine?

Well… this is where it’s gonna depend on what type of smoker you are.

• heavy smokers [more than pack a day] — if you are a heavy smoker, you want to go with an 18mg/ml liquid. This is the ideal nic level for chronic smokers as it won’t leave you wanting for a smoke immediately after a session. For more tips, check out this post with vaping tips for heavy smokers.
• regular smokers [less than a pack a day] — anything between 12mg/ml and 18mg/ml of nicotine will be okay for you. Tailor to what you need at any given moment.
• casual smokers [less than 10 cigarettes a day] — anything between 6mg/ml and 9mg/ml is right up your alley.

What you definitely don’t want is to start this entire journey with too low of a nicotine strength. That’s just frustrating because you’ll be constantly craving… and constantly thinking about smoking. If you’re not sure which nicotine level to pick, pick the higher option. 

While There Is No ‘Quit Smoking’ Magic Bullet…

… vaping gives you the best chance at succeeding.

I won’t bore you with studies, speculations from researchers, or FDA findings… those all differ from year to year, and you can definitely find a study or two to support whatever your stance is on the matter.

But from my years as a vaper [and as someone who has been catering to ex-smokers and vapers for 10+ years], I can confidently say that vaping is one of the best things that has happened for everyone who wants to quit smoking. Using vape pens to quit traditional cigarettes just works. And it works better than regular nicotine replacement therapy – better than nicotine patches, nicotine gum, nasal sprays, prescription medications, lozenges, and similar quit smoking schemes.

And since I know you have a lot of questions about all this, I’ve answered some of the more common ones below.

Smoking VS. Vaping… What’s Better?

Vaping is better, hands down. I don’t care what you’ve heard or read — there’s plenty of propaganda out there, and it’s ridiculous to me to what extent the Big T lobby is willing to go to discredit vaping. But the fact remains that vape liquids contain far fewer ingredients than cigarettes. And most of those ingredients [like propylene glycol] are safe [and not cancerogenic as is the bunch of harmful substances that go into tobacco products, not to mention carbon monoxide and tar].  And don’t even get me started on the evidence that points that smoking puts your health into serious danger. The long-term health effects of smoking are horrendous.

Additionally, there are plenty of recent studies out there that show that vaping helps smokers get better, healthwise; lower blood pressure, normalizing heart rate and lowering the risk of heart disease [such as heart attack], cardiovascular disease, lung disease, and so on. 

And to top it all off, research points to the fact that vaping is less addictive than smoking. This makes perfect sense because all you can get addicted to is nicotine [unlike in cigarettes, where there are plenty of other poisons for you to get hooked on].

Is It Easy to Make the Switch?

I won’t lie to you — quitting smoking is never easy. The only way to become smoke-free IS the hard way… weening yourself off and never going back.

If you’re an adult who has been smoking for decades, you will find the switch harder. The important thing here is to remind yourself why you’re doing this — improvements on physical health, a healthier mind. Young people [those smoking for a few years or less] will find it easier, but still challenging.

Whatever the case, make sure you have plenty of support while switching. This could be your friends or family, or local stop smoking services [if they operate in your area]. Vaping as a smoking cessation tool works… but you might find yourself needing more. Needing a community, or a Quit program. Use the e-cigarette as a crutch, but don’t be afraid to supplement it with other things. Choosing a Quit Day… mark the quit date in your calendar. Or going to therapy. Or go to a support group. And remember, the first few days when the side effects of withdrawal symptoms are hitting you are the hardest part… but this too shall pass quickly.

Either way, using vaping to quit smoking will make the whole process much easier.

How Long Until I Get Used to Puffing Vapor?

This will depend.

If you commit to your electronic nicotine delivery system, you should get there soon enough. Most newcomers to vaping call themselves vapers within two to three months. Others take a bit more time. It’s not about the number of puffs, though – it’s about the determination to never go back to regular cigarettes. This is just one of many different routes you can take to get there.

What About Dual Use … Recommended?

Not really… 

If you’re both smoking and vaping, you are not working on getting back your health. And you can’t hope for the best results. You’re simply blunting your determination to kick the smoking habit for good. If you decide to give vapes a shot, give them a real shot. Try vaping for a week, and see where that gets you. My hope [and conviction] is that you’ll still be vaping a year from the moment you make that decision. Also, with the dual use method, you’re not mitigating your health risks AND you’re exposing yourself to ingesting too much nicotine. And that’s never a good idea.

What Will Others Say About My Vaping?

Hey, what are they saying about your smoking?

My point is — you don’t need anyone’s approval to vape. Even if you think you do. It’s a safer option for you. You’re doing it for your body; for your heart and your lungs and even your gum. That should be enough. But if anyone gives you a hard time, you can always say you’re doing it for them. After all, there’s no such thing as secondhand vapor [unlike secondhand smoke]. What’s important, ultimately, is that you’ll notice a change in your health pretty soon after you transition.

So there you have it — your quick-and-dirty guide to use of e-cigarettes to quit smoking! If you need a reliable device to get you there, make sure to check out our products below!

Ready to Ditch Cigarettes & Start Vaping?

Take a look at our collection of state-of-the-art e-cigarettes.

Best part? You’re not risking anything because all our gear is covered by our

lifetime warranty. Even if you drop it. Or run it over with your car.

Click Here to Start Vaping Today & Join Hordes of Happy Kind Pen Users