Quit Vaping

Ready to leave vaping behind? Quitting is a great choice. Cutting down also has rewards and can help you get you closer to being vape-free.

 

How much do you know about the risks of vaping?

Whether you started vaping to quit smoking or for other reasons, knowing more about the risks can help you decide what to do about it. 

Watch the videos below and try this vaping reality check to see how vaping is affecting you. When you're ready to make a change, use our step-by-step guide to stop vaping for good.

 

 

 

Step-by-step guide to quitting vaping

Quitting or cutting down on vaping is easier when you plan ahead. Follow these steps and you'll be ready to stop vaping for good.

Know your reasons

Be clear about why you want to stop or reduce vaping. Maybe you want to save money, improve your health, or feel more in control. There’s no right or wrong reason – it’s about what matters most to you. 

Set your date

Decide on a date to quit vaping or start cutting down. Pick something in the next few weeks – not too far off, but with enough time to get ready. Make sure your date doesn’t line up with a stressful event, like an exam or an interview.

Track your patterns

Track your vaping patterns for a few days. Tracking is a useful way to notice your triggers – the things that make you think about vaping. Being aware of your triggers will help you get ready to change them. For example, if you notice that drinking coffee gives you an urge to vape, think about switching to tea before your quit date.

Explore your options

Spend some time working out what you’ll do when your quit date comes. A planned quit attempt is usually more successful than a sudden one.

Scientists are still studying the best ways to quit vaping, but they know a lot about breaking nicotine addiction from other tobacco products. Learn about different quit methods and decide what’s right for you.

Some common methods for quitting vaping are:

Plan how to handle cravings and withdrawal

Think about how you’ll help your body and brain adjust to going without nicotine (or having less of it). Nicotine is highly addictive, so when you stop or reduce vaping, you may have strong cravings or urges to vape. You may also experience withdrawal symptoms like having headaches or feeling grouchy, tired, or restless.

Cravings will pass in a few minutes. Withdrawal symptoms can be difficult, but they’ll also fade with time. Brainstorm how you’ll face these challenges so you’re ready to handle them.

Try these tips:

• Take a few long and slow breaths.
• Use a stress ball or fidget toy to keep your hands busy.
• Chew gum, eat carrot sticks, or suck on sugar-free mints.
• Wait a few minutes until the urge to vape passes - distract yourself by chatting with a friend, going for a walk, or making a playlist.

Build your support crew

Having a strong support crew boosts your chances of staying vape-free. Try these tips:

• Tell a few people you trust that you’re going to quit or cut down on vaping. Say how they can help you – for example, by checking-in or distracting you from vaping.
• Team up with someone else who is trying to quit or reduce vaping. This can be useful for keeping each other motivated and on track.

Shift your mindset

Start thinking of yourself as someone who is vape-free (or heading in that direction). Be mindful that vaping doesn’t define who you are – there are many other positive things about you. Trust yourself and know that you can stop vaping. And even if you’re not ready to quit completely, be proud that you're taking action to cut down.

Go for it

When your quit date comes, focus on getting through each day without vaping at all (if you’re quitting completely) or vaping less (if you’re cutting down). Take it one step at a time.

If you have a setback, go easy on yourself. Count the time you've been vape-free as a win – think about what you can learn from it so you can do better next time. When you're ready, try again.