If you are thinking of stopping vaping these tips can help you get started:
Think about why you started vaping? Curious, nice flavours, they look nice, friends do it, to help me stop smoking, family members vape, I thought vaping was safer than smoking.
Why do you continue to vape now? Enjoy the flavours, to relax, to fit in, helps when I’m bored, I feel like I can’t stop, helps me to cope with stress and anxiety.
Think about what you don’t like about vaping? Worried about how it affects my health, makes me dizzy and cough sometimes, costs too much money, feels like I’m hooked and I need them all the time, I might get into trouble if I get caught.
What benefits are there to stopping vaping? I will save money, think clearly, concentrate better, feel more in control, not be addicted to nicotine.
If you feel ready to stop, make a plan! The following tips can help you to get started:
Know your use
How often are you vaping? For example, every half hour, every hour or more.
How long are you vaping for each time? For example, a couple of puffs, for a few minutes or more.
How much nicotine are you vaping? Vapes come in different strengths from 0mg to 20mg.
Where and when do you vape? Think about the people and activities you link with vaping.
Know what to expect
When someone vapes nicotine and then stops, their brain and body need time to adjust. They may experience temporary withdrawal symptoms, like stopping smoking. Knowing what’s normal can make the experience less worrying. Common withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Headaches
- Anxiety
- Low mood
- Difficulty concentrating
- Restlessness
- Strong urges to vape
These symptoms are sometimes worse in the first few days but get better over 2–4 weeks of stopping. Remember these don’t last forever and once you stop vaping after a short while you will feel better overall.
Know how to look after your mental health
If you have been vaping to manage stress or anxiety, it’s important to look at other ways to look after your mental health. There are many resources available to help with this; you could ask someone you trust at school, college or in your community for guidance.
Getting Ready to Quit Vaping
There are 2 ways to stop vaping. Think about whether you want to gradually cut down or if you want to stop in one-step. Which way will work best for you?
Gradually reduce nicotine rather than stopping suddenly.
Cutting down slowly often reduces the intensity of withdrawal. Strategies include:
- Lowering nicotine strength step by step.
- Increasing the time between vaping sessions.
- Creating vape free spaces or times of day.
If reducing too fast increases cravings, step back to the previous strength temporarily.
Make a Plan – Cut down to quit
- Pick a date, let those you trust know you’re cutting down to quit from this date and discuss what they can do to help.
- Set rules for yourself about where you do and don’t vape (e.g. only use when outside of your home or car, only on work breaks).
- Change your routine. Think about the times and activities where you vape. For example, if you vape when you first wake up, try having breakfast instead or if you vape when you have a coffee try switching to tea or another drink.
- Remove temptation by putting your vape out of sight when not using; only buy one refill liquid or small pack of pods at a time or try switching to a flavour you like less. Try leaving the house without your vape for short trips.
- Reduce how long and how often you vape by taking smaller puffs, increasing the time between vaping (e.g. if vaping every 20-minutes increase this to every 40-minutes). Start later in the day and finish earlier at night.
- Reduce the strength of nicotine (From 20mg–18mg–12mg–6mg–3mg–0mg). The speed at which you reduce is up to you. Stay at the reduced strength for a week or two or longer if you don’t feel ready to drop down to the next nicotine strength. If you start to experience urges to smoke, increase your strength of nicotine until these feelings fade.
- Celebrate your success. Plan your rewards. For example, use the money you would have spent on vaping and treating yourself to something.
Make a plan – Stopping vaping in one step
If you feel ready to stop vaping, you could try to go through the day without vaping. Some things that might help:
- Let those you trust know you’re stopping vaping and discuss what they can do to help you.
- Remove all vapes, and where possible yourself, from situations where others are vaping.
- Plan how you will manage urges to smoke or vape, such as distracting yourself by changing your routine.
- Celebrate your success by planning rewards for yourself such as having your favourite meal, a trip to the cinema or treating yourself.
Cravings often last just 3–5 minutes so having small, quick distractions is extremely helpful.
These could be:
- Listening to music
- Going for a walk or simply stepping outside for some fresh air
- Talking to friends
- Doing a task with your hands (puzzles, fidget toys, playing games on your phone)
These activities help your brain ride out short-lived nicotine urges. Remind yourself that these symptoms will pass.
If you vape and want to stop, support is available for up to 12 weeks. For more information, please contact 0800 783 9132.