How to stop smoking with vaping - collaboration

[Silver]

Hi all

This has been on my mind for some time and I have discussed it with a few people already so am going to start now

I would like us to discuss and collaborate on putting together an awesome thread that can help new vapers to stop smoking more easily. The aim would be to put all the info in one place that would make it easier for a new vaper coming on the forum.

We often give the same advice to similar questions. So lets see if we can put something together that can be a reference point of sorts and something we can be proud of as an ECIGSSA initiative.

We are the enthusiasts and collectively we have a lot of knowledge about vaping. Many of us have been vaping for years and know lots of the tips and tricks to help newbies get off the stinkies. There are also many here that have recently quit smoking and their experiences on what worked can also help a lot.

Am thinking it should be wide enough to have info on a variety of topics (health, hardware, juice, motivation) but be concise enough that a new vaper can read it fairly quickly and get some direction fast.

So please share your ideas, contributions and comments below. Lets see where it goes and hopefully something good can come of it. Share your tips and tricks on what helped you to stop smoking with vaping.

 

[Silver]

Some of the info I am thinking of just to kick things off:

Why vape?
health aspects and the benefits of vaping, the fun side of it and the flavour choice

Where to start?
What's a good starter device?
The importance of backups

What juices?
Tips on selecting good juices to try

Keeping motivated
Its a journey, have fun. Keep focused on the health benefits? Don't be too hard on yourself if it takes longer to quit stinkies altogether. Let the forum be a helping hand.

 

[Silver]

PS - the idea is to use this thread to collaborate and discuss - and then over time we can put together another thread that presents the info well (and keep it maintained over time)

 

[franshorn]

Great Idea.

What bugged me the most when I decided to take up vaping and quit cigarettes, is that most Vape Shops have a bunch of "VAPE Koppe" that have forgotten what it feels like craving a stinkie or simply vape 0nic juice and want to only blow clouds.

They will suggest a device and tank combo that is so airy that it will never satisfy the craving for a ciggie smoker.

I know of a few people that bought devices on recommendation from certain vape shops, only to go back to stinkies within a week.

My suggestion would be to get a device that can do both MTL and DTL. Sure it won't be suited 100% for both, but it allows you to transition should the need be there.

 

[RenaldoRheeder]

I think backups are very important - especially if one lives in a more remote area without easy access to vape stock. Backup to me would include a mod, batteries and juice (from experience).

As a noob, I had no idea what my juice consumption would be, and neither did I consider backups. So my first hiccup was a mod failing and the second one when I ran out of juice. Both times I had to go back to cigs. Now I have learned and everything has a few backups


Sent by iDad's iPhone

 

[Raindance]

This is a great initiative and covers a massive scope of information. Eager to contribute.

Regards

 

[Lawrence A]

I think it is also important to communicate to new vapers what is needed to maintain their hardware - things like how and when to clean it, signs to look out for that a coil needs changing and how to break in a new coil etc.

These can seem like such obvious things to an experience vaper but I remember when I got my PICO kit the shop who sold it to me never told me about any of these things.

 

[RichJB]

I think it's important for new vapers to understand the range of gear that is available. When I started vaping, the cigarette-shaped devices were the most accessible and logical, I just didn't 'get' the box-shaped devices so I was less keen to try them. I think brief video clips showing the various devices in action will help the smoker to understand the gear types and get over the mindset that a vape should ideally be cigarette-shaped.

I think it's also wise to give some cost comparisons to let the ex-smoker know what he/she is in for financially and what options there are to cut or at least limit costs.

 

[Sash]

Hi Guys,
I got pulled in to a "starter device" and for me personally I feel I got kinda ripped off. I wish I had been advised to take a slightly more powerful device that I could keep at lower settings until I am ready to move up in vapor production density. I wish things like throat hit had been explained to me and what kind of coils, juices and devices would provide me with this. This route would have saved me a good few bucks since I ended up buying a new device each time I was ready to move up.

I smoked slightly stronger cigarettes (Lucky Strike, Camel Lights then Marlboro Gold) so the smooth vape I was getting kept throwing me off. I also agree with @franshorn above in his post. Profiling a smoker before showing them devices, coils and juices is important and the idea of the sale should be to help the customer get off stinkies with the right gear and not take the customer on the route that will be most profitable. As we know once a vaper finds the setups he/she likes they rarely go back to stinkies, so the continuous business is there anyways.

My advice is, spend that little more money and get a device setup that you can grow into. Dont buy what suits you now as down the line you will either be a vaper that wants flavour, clouds or a bit of both. As @RenaldoRheeder says keep spares of everything especially when you're starting and I would like to add that you should keep spares of the spares.

For juice selection, choose something that you can see yourself vaping The entire day . You can have that 1 or 2 juices that give you your flavor happy in between just to keep the sparks flying(lets hope the sparks are not coming from your device).

 

[PuffingCrow]

One of the big challenges that I see as a vaper is to help current smoker convert is the older people, moms, father oupas, oumas and the people who are not so technically orientated, I mean vaping should not just be for the younger generation, and those who can build coils.

Older people don't want to fill tanks and have big boxes and "smoke" (vape) "strawberry cookie cream blueberry zombie deluxe toffee coated sugar and spice very nice".

I agree fully on a section dedicated to starter devises, MTL, easy accessible, cheap, uncomplicated as possible , there are many people here that try, buy and test these devise for example the twisp cue, that we can have a dedicate section where we all test and vote the best devise macing all these criteria on for example a monthly rotation basis, where we the community have taken the guessing work out of the equation for the newcomers,

@Silver great initiative thank you for this idea.

 

[Friep]

What worked for me to quit smoking was to use a tapering method.

It took me a month to stop smoking and only vape.
What I did was use high nic juice and a mtl device. I vaped in between cigarettes. And increased the time between cigarettes started with 1 hour moved up to 1 and a half hour then 2 hoours etc. When I got to 3 cigarettes a day one in the morning, one in the afternoon, one at night. I did not buy a new packet and continued to tapper down with what I had left when the packet was finished I only vaped from there on out and its been more than a year now.

 

[PuffingCrow]

What worked for me to quit smoking was to use a tapering method.

It took me a month to stop smoking and only vape.
What I did was use high nic juice and a mtl device. I vaped in between cigarettes. And increased the time between cigarettes started with 1 hour moved up to 1 and a half hour then 2 hoours etc. When I got to 3 cigarettes a day one in the morning, one in the afternoon, one at night. I did not buy a new packet and continued to tapper down with what I had left when the packet was finished I only vaped from there on out and its been more than a year now.

This is great advise and a very good method @Friep

 

[Sash]

And just to add I am in denial about liking 6mg juices. I find them more satisfying but they are a bit more bitter.

 

[Jengz]

I agree with many of the above posts, to get off cigarettes for many, a vape has to be less complicated and also pull like a cigarette. I was enjoying vaping so much when I started but I still had smokes because there was nothing like a morning coffee with a cigarette, ah to be honest at times I still miss it!

I think easier devices with less complication and a good cigarettes like vaping experience is what is needed and personally I found that in the gusto mini with elements tobacco nic salts pods. Yes it is still not a cigarette exactly but it was damn well the closest feeling I ever got to when I smoked, it was also the above mentioned device that help me quit after vapecon.

Nic cravings for me will always be there but I think I loved smoking, it wasn’t just about the need to satisfy a craving for me, it was more that I loved smoking and yes it’s ridiculous but it’s the truth.

I do now however think I enjoy vaping a whole lot more as I have made it a hobby and also I love doing new stuff like making my own juice and building Coils, it’s a getaway from the busy life.

I also think that those who are addicted to nic and love smoking don’t want to give it up but a great mtl device with high nic content will leave them wondering why vaping is so much better if it can almost replicate a cigarette.

 

[The_Ice]

Very cool initiative @Silver, if done correctly this will turn out to be a great tool to help people make the switch.

What worked for me to quit smoking was to use a tapering method.

It took me a month to stop smoking and only vape.
What I did was use high nic juice and a mtl device. I vaped in between cigarettes. And increased the time between cigarettes started with 1 hour moved up to 1 and a half hour then 2 hoours etc. When I got to 3 cigarettes a day one in the morning, one in the afternoon, one at night. I did not buy a new packet and continued to tapper down with what I had left when the packet was finished I only vaped from there on out and its been more than a year now.

In contrast to @Friep I did it quite differently. After stopping the stinkies cold turkey, I suffered for 3 days, then took my first ever (18mg) puff off the AIO. That was enough to convince my brain that vaping was the new smoking.
Off coarse after I tried the Griffon 25 on my brother-in-law's reuleaux, I realized that there was so much more and I discovered this rabbit hole full of rabbit holes.

My point being that, since there are so many ways and means to get into the various aspects of vaping, we should maybe cater for a few alternatives.
Eg. Buy nicotine, a scale, PG VG and this flavor, or if you have the cash, just buy this juice with that strength, etc

 

[Clarissa]

This is a great idea! Would be so helpful to many.

I also think it would be helpful to newbies to explain the different viscosity of juices, and which devices they are made or not made for. And also a mini-guide on troubleshooting your devices: like priming your coils to make sure they don't burn, etc.

 

[CMMACKEM]

For the first month of vaping, I cut my cigarettes down by 50% (10-15) and I was vaping 6mg nic(3mg felt way too low) 80w - 130w.

Second month I was smoking 3-4 a day and vaping 6mg 80w - 130w.

Third month of vaping, I completely quit smoking and #vaping 6mg 80w - 130w.

Forth month and going forward I started vaping 3mg 90w - 130w

Anyone who buys a starter kit to quit smoking, I hightly suggest starting on a minimum of 6mg nic and having the odd ciggeratte for the first 2 months if you really need to.

 

[RichJB]

OK, slow day waiting for a client to provide me with research for an article. So I wrote this one instead. It's a draft but I think it covers much of what new vapers want to know.

 

[Stosta]

OK, slow day waiting for a client to provide me with research for an article. So I wrote this one instead. It's a draft but I think it covers much of what new vapers want to know.

This is such an epic write-up @RichJB !!! I'm pretty sure this is exactly what @Silver must have had in mind.

I personally think if we took this, added a bunch of pictures to it, and links to various subforums for "further reading", this would be an absolutely incredible resource for new vapers!

You sir!!! Friggin' Wow!!!

 

[RichJB]

Thanks @Stosta. I think @Silver also wanted input on strategies to stick with vaping, expectations of new vapers, adjusting to less nic, etc. But that could also be added.

 

[Silver]

OK, slow day waiting for a client to provide me with research for an article. So I wrote this one instead. It's a draft but I think it covers much of what new vapers want to know.

Wow @RichJB - that is amazing
I haven't read it thoroughly, just looked at it briefly and read a few paragraphs here and there owing to time constraints.
Thank you so much for the thought and effort that went into that!

Will need to look at it and can discuss more in time...

 

[Sash]

Wow really cool dude! So much effort in this document and it was a brilliant reminder on many things we take for granted deeper in the hobby.
Thanks!

 

[Raindance]

From the above and many previous posts the assumption can be made that many people switching to vaping as a means to quit smoking do not quite seem to know what to expect. One often hears about people concerned about relapses or being disappointed that vaping does not fill the void left by smoking. This aspect of "the change" is also an important point to clarify to those wishing to convert.

From observing the questions and experiences raised here on the forum one gets the distinct impression that there is no one method fits all approach to this. There are about as many paths of transition as there are reasons people smoke and vaping styles. I list those two on purpose for I do believe there is a correlation between the two.

Why do we smoke and have trouble moving away from cigarettes?
Yes, its true there is the addiction element associated and blamed on nicotine but it goes a lot deeper than that. The smoking habit is not merely addictive as the result of a chemical dependency, in some cases this part of the addiction is the easiest to break.
There is the habit aspect to vaping. To many smoking is the way we respond to certain situations. Even as I type this, I am taking a few deep drags from my vape between sentences as in my case, smoking and now vaping is used as a pacifier or distraction which helps us pause and think more clearly. The occasional smoke break, providing us with an opportunity to get out of our work environment and take a mini break from work is also a way we use the habit to remain focused on what we are doing in the long term.
Then there is the social aspect. Not to be under estimated as this is probably what got us started in the first place. Back in the day, when cigarettes were freely advertised, to be a mans kind of man you were half expected to reach for after action satisfaction by grabbing a Lexington whenever possible. Times have changed but moving in social circles where people smoke make it tough as hell the be to odd one out. Not only in terms of being different but also facing constant temptation of those around you smoking. Before vaping I quit smoking long term on two occasions. Once for four months and once for about eight. Each relapse was as the result of giving in to the constantly present temptation of my social circles smoking habit. Ag I'll have one, how much harm can it do... Ja right...

In summation of the above we thus have three (there may be more) key propagators of the stinky habit.
1. Chemical dependency.
2. Habit and action.
3. Social belonging and pressures.
From what I can gather the ratio each of these contributes to each individuals level of addiction can vary significantly ant their path to conversion would be determined by these ratios as well.

For the person mostly dependent on the chemical addiction a good strong juice on a proper mouth to lung device may just be perfect and make his conversion quick and easy.
For those most impacted on by the social aspect, the support and belonging to a forum such as this may be the key factor.
For others it may be a gradual reduction in cigarettes while experimenting to discover their own specific vaping style and taste which will replace the old habits.
And of-course the multiple permutations of the above that may exist.

So there may indeed be no one size fits all answer to conversion. Knowing what kind of smoker you are and why you smoke may however give us a clue as to what you need and what path to follow.

This thread being a discussion thread, please critique the above as much as possible.

Regards

 

[The_Ice]

Well done @RichJB, you surely have a very good way of logically expressing stuff on paper. I think this addresses many of the niggling questions a new vaper may have. And because vapers have a very "sure you can do that, there are no rules in the vaping world, except the law of ohm" attitude, it is sometimes difficult to grasp a concept without asking. Despite the fact that we say you can ask any question, some people are terrified of doing that.

 

[Hooked]

OK, slow day waiting for a client to provide me with research for an article. So I wrote this one instead. It's a draft but I think it covers much of what new vapers want to know.

@RichJB Your document is well-written, well-organised, clear and concise. You took a lot of trouble in compiling it - and it shows! Well done!