There’s currently a billion smokers in the world and every year, millions of them will make an attempt to quit smoking. Even if you started at the beginning of January and are struggling to get through it (or maybe had a slip up) there’s no reason 2019 can’t still be the year you quit for good.
With so many options available (and not just the world-renowned Juul) quitting through vaping has proven to be the most likely to help you make a successful quit attempt. While some see this as replacing one habit with another, the evidence doesn’t lie. In the UK, their public health bodies like the National Health Service (NHS) and Public Health England (PHE) both endorse vaping for current smokers.
With recent studies finding that 37% of smokers had quit cigarettes entirely after just 90 days, they’re a revolutionary way to leave behind an unhealthy habit. It takes 21 days to break a habit but 90 to create a lifestyle – if you aim for three months with no cigarettes you’ll be even less likely to ever look back. If 90 days seems like a difficult stretch – the middle ground of this is when you quit smoking for 28 days, you’re 5 times more likely to stop for good. When you consider that that’s not even a full month it makes it seem much more reasonable.
It’s not just the UK who are in support of vaping, the Canadian regulations have now changed to allow the advertising of e-cigarette products. While they can’t be promoted as “healthy”, they are now classified as a viable means of smoking cessation.
There are a few extra things to remember as well as a few tips that will make the quitting process easier for you. Quitting comes in phases and there are some things you should remember to give yourself the best chance or doing it successfully.
The craving period:
Your body will take a while to detox from the mixture of chemicals in cigarettes. Vaping will be your best friend during this time to help alleviate the craving for nicotine. E-liquids with nic salts will help give you a quick hit similar to a conventional cigarette. After you get through the first 28 days, you’ll be five times more likely to quit for good. Your body will be feeling healthier, your lungs clearer, food will taste better and the cravings for conventional cigarettes should be all but gone.
Things to remember:
Aside from cravings, you’ll probably also have a few triggers. Some people smoke more when they drink, some after a meal and some due to stress. If you can identify what makes you want to smoke, it’ll make it that much easier to avoid those situations where possible.
Focus on why you want to quit. Whether it’s for your family, your health or just because it’s a habit you no longer want to be a part of your life. You’ll also end up saving a significant amount of money, even if you use vaping to quit, it costs significantly less than a pack a day habit.
You may slip up, but you don’t need to completely fall of the wagon. Studies have found that e-cigarette users are less likely to fall into a full blown smoking relapse than those who have quit with other methods. If you do slip up, don’t let it ruin the progress you’ve made.
You can quit vaping too. The whole principle behind vaping was that it’s a safer alternative to smoking. The chemical concoction in cigarettes is what makes them more addictive. While nicotine is an addictive chemical in itself, it’s chemically no worse than caffeine and you can gradually wean yourself off it. With e-liquids coming in different strengths, you can gradually drop it over time until you no longer need it (or vaping) at all.
