Anyone struggle to switch?

[Cheeri]

I am curious if anyone else struggled to switch to vaping? If so, how did you finally make the switch?

Me an my husband decided to try vaping about year and a half ago. Went into vape shop and 300 dollars later had to mods, subohm tanks, batteries, and some 6 mg. ejuice. We cut down from 2.5 packs to about a pack a day. But, couldn’t give the smokes up. Even bought RDA’s and RTA’s thinking maybe better flavor was the key. Then someone suggested mtl. I bought 2 juuls and found them awful. Got dry hits and no flavor. I got a pod and endura t18 ii with some nicotine salts. Definitely has a hit closer to a cigarette. So, why can’t I put the smokes down?

Help!

 

[Jebbn]

I had to make a conscious decision to stop smoking. Vaping was just a distraction and also took a little of the edge off. I really wanted to quit smoking tobacco and I had to worked at it and be quite resolute in my decision.
Thats how it went for me, I think its different for everyone.

 

[Baditude]

So, why can’t I put the smokes down?

There are probably several reasons why.

First, not everyone has an easy time making the transition from smoking to vaping. Some folks have dual used for months and months. Some were successful, others were not and returned to just smoking.

Vaping doesn't work for everyone, although my guess is it will work if you are persistant in your efforts and very determined to quit smoking. Recent studies claim that vaping is twice as likely to help smokers quit compared to using nicotine gum.

Vaping twice as likely as gum to help smokers quit, research finds​

Vaping is not like smoking. It's different. Vaping is less efficient in delivering nicotine to the body, so one needs to vape more frequently than they smoked. Differences Between Smoking and Vaping

I had smoked for over 30 years. I loved smoking, and had begun to believe that I'd never be able to quit. But it was beginning to affect my health. Over the last 10 years I had tried nicotine gum, patches, prescription meds, and even hypnosis. They were all very unsuccessful for me.

I decided to give vaping a shot. I bought a ciga-like starter setup, had one pack of cigarettes, and promised myself that I wouldn't buy another pack. I knew that I would have strong cravings for a smoke, so I decided to dual use at first but to limit the amount of cigarettes that I would smoke.

When I had a bad craving, I vaped more. If that didn't help, I allowed myself HALF of a cigarette and saved the last half for the next bad craving. Probably smoked four whole cigarettes the first couple of days. Those unfinished cigarettes tasted pretty nasty, but that helped me quit. By the time that last pack was finished, tobacco was beginning to taste pretty nasty to me and I didn't feel the need to buy another pack. This method worked for me, but it was still tough. I was DETERMINED that this time I would finally quit smoking.

I did upgrade to an 18650-size regulated mod and better juice attachment a month after I quit smoking, and that greatly improved my enjoyment of vaping. Its been seven years since I smoked my last cigarette, and I don't miss them at all.

If you choose to dual use, switch cigarette brands. Avoid your favorite brand. If you smoke menthol, use a non-menthol. If you smoke non-menthol, use a menthol.

I've read or heard somewhere that it takes the average smoker 30 attempts to quit smoking before they were successful.

Avoid situations that you know you'll be tempted to smoke. Bars or parties. Other smokers. Alcohol adds to your cravings. Stay busy. Avoid stressful situations when possible.

Why You Don't Need an E-Liquid that Tastes Like Cigarettes

A Word of Vaping Technique

Finally, don't beat yourself up should you fall off of the wagon. Smoking is an extremely strong addiction and we have human weaknesses afterall. If you fail, pull yourself up off of the ground and start over again. It's not how many cigarettes you smoke a day that is important...it's how many you didn't smoke that is.

 

[dsites]

Welcome to ECF .... you're in the right place. Cutting your smoking from 2 1/2 to 1 pack a day is a big step in the right direction. It sounds like you like the pod and the T18 so I'd continue using them. Lots of people dual use while switching and there's even a forum on this site for dual users. A main theme is that it isn't the cigar you smoke, it's the ones you don't.

 

[jandrew]

Hey, congrats on getting 2.5 packs a day down to one pack a day!

It's true some people have an easy and effortless transition from smoking to vaping. But, for many, vaping is an aid to quit smoking, not a simple or easy replacement. You still have to actually quit smoking --- and that quitting still takes determination/willpower, and still involves withdrawal/cravings. Vaping can help mitigate the withdrawal/cravings/habit, and may well require playing around with different styles of vaping (mouth to lung (MTL) or direct to lung (DTL), different strengths and/or types of nicotine/eliquids (regular/freebase nicotine, nicotine salts, eliquids with Whole Tobacco Alkaloids (WTA)), and probably vaping more and more often than smoking in the early stages of quitting at least.

Good luck, and you know where we are for support, suggestions, or just general screaming.

 

[Letitia]

Vaping is a crutch not a cure. You simply have to decide not to buy anymore cigs. It's not easy the first couple of weeks but does get easier almost daily. What helped me quit dual using was keeping a daily tab on how many cigs I smoked. Seeing the number go down encouraged me to try vaping through some of the cravings. What also helped was to only take a couple hit from the cig, put it out and pickup the vape. For me keeping the smokes out of my line of sight was key as well.

 

[rosesense]

Good advice from folks here and everyone's journey is certainly different. Mine was:
--made up my mind to quit
--tried dual use for one week Told myself I would only smoke 'if I had to', didn't work as I kept smoking as long as I had them.
--when I ran out of cigs, I determined not to buy any unless I absolutely felt I couldn't stand it. By not having them around, I chained vape until I got past the cravings.
--It wasn't easy but it got easier with each passing day.
--I tried LOTS of different setups until I found what worked for me
--Happy to say I have been cig free for over 9 years after smoking for over 30 years.
--I still chain vape, have reduced nic to 3mg or less and probably will continue vaping for the rest of my life. I still have dreams about smoking, it is a lifelong battle to quit.

Good luck on your journey. The main thing is to never give up. You can do this....

 

[englishmick]

I used the old cigalikes for several years and cut down smoking from a pack to half a pack. Eventually got some better vaping gear and it still took me another year to quit completely. I smoked for almost 50 years.

I think at some point I just started enjoying vaping rather than seeing it as a tool for getting off the cigs. Even when I was smoking I was thinking about going inside and having a vape. Smoking got to be a chore.

My advice is don't spend too much time looking for reasons why you haven't succeeded yet. Chances are you will get there one day. Keep on vaping.

 

[Vapemesilly]

I found the key was vaping at a high enough nicotine content to knock down the cravings.

You've probably been smoking a long time. Your brain is wired to smoke. It's a mental addiction as well as physical. Vaping will satisfy the physical but the mental kicker is still there. It's your brain that is telling you to smoke even though you're getting the nicotine. It takes time. Just vape. You won't die if you don't smoke. Just vape.

 

[gpjoe]

I smoked at least a pack a day for over forty years. Smoking was a part of who I was since I was 15 years old. I started vaping in 2012 or 2013 and continued to smoke 2-3 butts per day until this January 1st when I decided it was time. Over those 5-6 years that I was a dual user, I figured I had not smoked tens of thousands of cigarettes and significantly reduced the harm to my heart, lungs, and arteries. My cardiologist was thrilled.

Everyone is different, but you have to keep in mind that you still need to want to quit and it's difficult. You need to work at it, I certainly did. I love smoking and would go back in a second if not for the harmful effects. Remember that vaping is not a silver bullet, but can be much more effective than the other substitutes - none of which worked for me.

Lastly, the thing that finally did work for me was a slew of pod mods with high-nic (50mg) salts. There's a lot of flavors and not all taste horrible. I would venture to say that they all taste better than a cigarette.

Keep at it, be determined, don't get discouraged, celebrate the cigarettes you DON't smoke, and best of luck.

 

[Topwater Elvis]

For some folks it is very difficult to quit smoking no matter the method used. You just flat have make up your mind that you do want to quit smoking and basically force yourself.
Meaning for some it is a rough transition that you have to get through on will power & grit.

Juul is a very poor representation of MTL vaping, T 18's not much better, some pods aren't bad at all but usually filled with nic salts which greatly reduce throat hit / lung feel that some smokers need to push them over the edge to quit.

Using a 'tank' designed for MTL in combination with a higher nic mg/ml (depending on the amount you currently smoke) when trying to quit usually gives a much better result.
Of course some folks prefer the wide open little to no inhale airflow restriction common with 'sub ohm' tanks.

I was a dual user for 11 months before I joined this forum, for me I would've never quit smoking had I not just forced myself, picked a day and said no more cigs from this day forward. It wasn't easy or pleasant for several months.
Yes, I tried almost everything available at that time and up to the present, various delivery devices, mtl vs dlt inhale styles, wta, net, nic salt, etc...
Even after all the years that I have not taken a single drag from a cig or even held an unlit cig I still get cravings to smoke, I think about smoking almost daily, I won't light one because I know what will happen.
For many, Vaping is not a magic bullet that kills all desire or craving to smoke, it's difficult, it's day by day.

You gotta make up your mind, do you want to keep smoking - continue to inhale the known toxins & carcinogens that factually cause dozens of ailments in smokers (many life threatening).
Or do you want to give yourself a chance at improved health & better quality possibly longer life.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

I read strong words like, determined, resolute, and conscious decision. That is mental commitment. I also noticed smelly and lousy taste. I just see it as having an attitude, or a 'tude for short.

I was just tired of all the effects of smoking. I made a list out of determination, got spares, basically I just removed anything that might lead me to having a cig and I did things to promote vaping.

From the beginning I decided that all the money for smoking each month could now go to vaping so no savings, but no smoking either.

I was
I got
I am
Get a "'tude".

 

[Baditude]

I was
I got
I am
Get a "'tude".

BADITUDE

Reason I chose my avatar. Continuing to smoke is like commiting slow suicide. By the time the gun is empty, its too late to quit.

 

[Vape Muppet]

I struggled when I first switched. I'd smoked for about 16 years, at home I could put up with vaping to an extent but any time I went into the city or was going to college I'd end up buying smokes. Problem for me at the time (5-6 years ago) was a lack of decent tobacco juices so I switched to fruit flavours. Maybe that's your problem too and you simply haven't found something you really like. I do appreciate that vaping to begin with can feel very frustrating in terms of finding a juice you enjoy and given that it seems like it's constantly costing money trying gear and new juices. In fact the increased amount of choice these days in some respects doesn't help.

In my own experience sticking with RDA's is what helped me switch because I got stronger flavour and a noticeable nicotine rush. Plus I wasn't limited to having to continuously buy coils.

It's entirely possible you dropped to 6mg too soon, I had that issue dropping from 6mg to 3mg and it took a while to adjust. Another thing could be your taste buds, since I assume you're still smoking on the side and I know it took me about 8 months before I could taste any juice that wasn't a very potent flavour. If you still like tobacco I would try Naturally Extracted Tobacco juices with a mouth to lung set up for increased throat hit, possibly vape 12mg juice until you feel that's too much.

 

[DaveP]

I was able to quit easily about 9 years ago using 24mg juice. I still smoked about 6 cigs a day while vaping for nearly a year (down from 2PAD). When I quit those there were no cravings at all. I just didn't smoke anymore after that. I could have quit the last few months earlier, but didn't realize it.

 

[Jazzman]

I think a lot of quitting smoking is attitude. For me, I started vaping knowing it would replace smoking. It wasn't a question, it was a conviction on my part without any hesitation. I wasn't questioning it at all. I was just sure it was going to work for some reason I still don't truly understand. Maybe I just wanted to quit that bad or maybe I had just heard so many success stories that I believed it. But the result was that when I got my first little Ego with a CE2 I never smoked again, and that was more than 5 years ago. Maybe I was that desperate or maybe I was just that hopeful, but whatever the reason I found quitting easy as a result. I wish it was that easy for everyone.

As others have shared, don't beat yourself up on the cigarettes you are still smoking but rejoice on the many you aren't because that's the big deal you need to focus on. And always keep in mind that every time you vape you're not smoking. Just let the rest fall in place for you and before you know it you'll be down to half a pack a day. Like most of us, you have probably been smoking for many years, so allow some time to stop smoking. It's not like you're on a timetable that you have to quit entirely by a certain date. You're getting healthier just by cutting back on smoking, and there's the promise of getting even healthier when you finally quit completely.

Probably the biggest motivator is finding a device combination that really works for you. Once you have a vaping device that you really enjoy I think it will make quitting smoking so much easier. So go on a buying splurge of devices if you need to, after going through the ECF forums for good info of course, and find the device that clicks for you and makes you happy. Even baby steps in the right direction are steps towards your goal and are worth celebrating. And enough baby steps will take you to the same destination given enough time.

 

[Cheeri]

I had to make a conscious decision to stop smoking. Vaping was just a distraction and also took a little of the edge off. I really wanted to quit smoking tobacco and I had to worked at it and be quite resolute in my decision.
Thats how it went for me, I think its different for everyone.

I think I just need to stop buying cigs and force myself to vape whenever I get a craving. Thanks!

 

[r77r7r]

Real easy switch for me. I never thought that I could quit so I didn't try that approach. I assumed that I could not. I was just trying to cut down somewhat. When I got my kit I just got so involved with it and it worked just enough to keep me preoccupied enough to cut back to 6 from 40. I was quite happy with that and the fact that it continued that way for days. The remaining 6 went away when it was obvious that smoking sucked and that it was possible. That very last one was a toughie.
Best wishes on your journey. Best thing is to have a support group like these forums or any social media sites.

 

[Cheeri]

There are probably several reason why.

First, not everyone has an easy time making the transition from smoking to vaping. Some folks have dual used for months and months. Some were successful, others were not and returned to just smoking.

Vaping doesn't work for everyone, although my guess is it will work if you are persistant in your efforts and very determined to quit smoking. Recent studies claim that vaping is twice as likely to help smokers quit compared to using nicotine gum.

Vaping twice as likely as gum to help smokers quit, research finds​

Vaping is not like smoking. It's different. Vaping is less efficient in delivering nicotine to the body, so one needs to vape more frequently than they smoked. Differences Between Smoking and Vaping

I had smoked for over 30 years. I loved smoking, and had begun to believe that I'd never be able to quit. But it was beginning to affect my health. Over the last 10 years I had tried nicotine gum, patches, prescription meds, and even hypnosis. They were all very unsuccessful for me.

I decided to give vaping a shot. I bought a ciga-like starter setup, had one pack of cigarettes, and promised myself that I wouldn't buy another pack. I knew that I would have strong cravings for a smoke, so I decided to dual use at first but to limit the amount of cigarettes that I would smoke.

When I had a bad craving, I vaped more. If that didn't help, I allowed myself HALF of a cigarette and saved the last half for the next bad craving. Probably smoked four whole cigarettes the first couple of days. Those unfinished cigarettes tasted pretty nasty, but that helped me quit. By the time that last pack was finished, tobacco was beginning to taste pretty nasty to me and I didn't feel the need to buy another pack. This method worked for me, but it was still tough. I was DETERMINED that this time I would finally quit smoking.

If you choose to dual use, switch cigarette brands. Avoid your favorite. If you smoke menthol, use a non-menthol. If you smoke non-menthol, use a menthol.

Avoid situations that you know you'll be tempted to smoke. Bars or parties. Other smokers. Alcohol adds to your cravings. Stay busy. Avoid stressful situations when possible.

Why You Don't Need an E-Liquid that Tastes Like Cigarettes

A Word of Vaping Technique

Finally, don't beat yourself up should you fall off of the wagon. Smoking is an extremely strong addiction and we have human weaknesses. If you fail, pull yourself up off of the ground and start over. It's not how many cigarettes you smoke a day that is important...it's how many you didn't smoke that is.

Thanks so much for all the great tips. At some point I just need to have some willpower and put the cigs down. I keep hearing all these stories about people who pick up a vape and never smoke again. It was starting to make me feel like I had no chance. All these wonderful replies have given me some serious motivation that I needed. By next week I will be on here letting everyone know I have quit smoking. Thinking maybe I should try a menthol tobacco juice. Thanks again , really love the tip about changing brands of cigarettes.

 

[Opinionated]

When I made the switch I was simply determined.

My health was deteriorating and vaping was a last ditch effort when all else failed..

I used an ego battery with a CE4 and 18mg ejuice and went through withdrawals.

The first 3 days were awful, I didn't bother getting out of bed, told everyone I was sick and just chain vaped my way through.

After 3 days I joined the living, kind of, and did life but it was more difficult. I hardly put that ego down, and just vaped constantly to get through.

My husband smoked, and smoked around me, so this made it more difficult but I didn't want to die.. so I fought through.

I gave in to a particularly bad craving at day 14, but by then cigarettes tasted horrible ... just God-awful... and I put it out about half way through and tthat was it. I was just quit.

So.. sheer willpower and the crutch of vaping.. that's how I did it. But I made it through.

I was able to be around smokers without wanting a cigarette within 3 months... stopped thinking about smoking, started desiring my vape instead within a very short time frame as well because vaping just tastes better.

But vaping isn't smoking, your body has to become accustomed to the loss of all the chemicals that are in cigarettes that your no longer getting and don't get through vaping.

But once your through the withdrawals it's all golden.