My stop smoking plan:

[SharonH]

I, like many of you, have started vaping as a means to stop smoking. I have smoked analogs for 16 years. I have tried patches, gums, lozenges, etc. My personal best is four months smoke free. I have identified my three worst enemies: Lack of "throat hit," Lack of sufficient motivation, and the idea that "just one, just for the quick buzz" won't hurt. I have a plan that addresses all three of these major concerns. First and foremost: I cannot have one analog cigarette, or cigar, or a quick pipe, all of which I have been known to use. My motivation: I have my first child on the way. Next: I use a fancy-schmancy e-cig, for the throat hit., and the nicotine. I start at 24mg nicotine. Start strong, to counteract the transitional issues. My goal is to drop to 18 mg after 3 months. After that, I go down a grade every 3 months. If a transition gives me trouble, I combine that level with the previous level, until I can safely go on the new strength. I expect this to take no less than one year to reach zero nicotine. When I am nicotine free, I learn to break a habit, not an addiction.After half of my life (I am 31) smoking, taking a whole year to break the nicotine is nothing. I'm taking my time, and doing it right this time.

Sounds like you have a sound plan AND motivation! As an FYI - my mom smoked 2 PAD and I was diagnosed with asthma as a teen. And yes, I started smoking myself in spite of knowing I had asthma from second hand smoke and/or a mom smoking while pregnant. A child is a great motivation!

 

[TastyKakes]

Good luck OP, that's a good strategy. Don't feel the need to stick to your exact plan as an "end all, be all" type situation though. I had a similar strategy to step down the way you do, but after 2 weeks I'm already down to 12mg from 18mg. I still keep an evod loaded with 18 for those mornings a need more of a foot in the ... though. Use your plan as more of a general guideline and step down as you feel ready.
Best of luck, and congrats on the little bundle of joy.

 

[RG1971]

I wish you the best of luck too OP. I tried with patches, gum, lozingers (sp), pills.. this is my last hope that it helps me as the rest we pretty much not giving me the relief I needed. So far so good though, I'm happy, my kids are happy and I can breath

 

[JackLebeau]

Sounds like a pretty good plan to me - but as other people have said it shouldn't be set in stone. If you can't drop down the nicotine levels like you intend to don't feel disheartened. It's all about harm reduction, so even if you never budge from 24mg you're still much much better off on e-cigs. Sounds like you're pretty determined though, so I'm sure you'll stick to your plan just fine

 

[SmoKnoMoCigZ]

your plan is the same as i am trying. i smoked heavy for decades and i bought e-juice at the 24mg level. 3 days without a cigarette so far.

good luck!!!

 

[talon2525]

Scarey Glad to hear you are ditching the analogs.
One word of caution about lowering nicotine: I ran out of my normal 24 mg juice a while back and had to vape the wife's 18 mg juice for about a week, during this time I noticed strong cravings for analogs (this was after being smoke free for over 6 months) and even smoking dreams. These lasted until I got a fresh order of my 24 mg juice. Just a heads up to what you may be heading into. Good luck and I have my fingers crossed for ya.

 

[Scarey]

Hey folks. Thanks for all the well wishes. I hear the many of you who say to not be too strict on the schedule. In the words of Captain. Barbosa, in Pirates of the Caribbean, they're "more what you'd call 'guidelines' than actual rules." The purpose is more to keep me motivated to step down in strength than to force a time-table.

 

[Wraith]

Good for you! Sounds like you have a good plan in place and sound reasoning all the way through. I was a smoker for just over 30 years. I am, unlike yourself it seems, also very into the ritual of "Smoking". So for me things like patches, gum and lozenges never worked. Did not really expoect them to to be honest. Just over 4 months ago I went ot my local B&M vape shop. I smoked my last analog as I pulled up to the shop and have not had one, or the urge for one, since. While I do not, nor do I advise anyone, to represent vaping as a smoking cessation system I can say it worked for me. How into smoking was I ... go to youtube and search Bebe on smoking. Frazier fans are likely nodding their heads already. Vaping replaces not only the nicotine intake but pretty much all the other little behaviors many of us are more addicted to than the nicotine itself. Stick to your guns and congrats on that new arrival you are expecting!

 

[Abstrusius]

This is my first post! I've been smoking for 28 years. Now I'm 45. Last monday I bought an incredibly expensive kit, an eGo knock off, with a awful bottle of eliquid tasting like glue. But the moment I started to vap, my desire for an analog ceased immediately. I was shocked in the good sense of the word. The next day I went to a different store and bought an even more expensive kit, this time American imported, with a delicious 10ml bottle of juice which tastes like honey, but has "Havana" on its label. Tomorrow I'll be one week tobacco free and I'm very, very pleased with myself. After 3 days without smoking, my breathing is so much better, that I can hardly believe it! My sleep improved too, despite the fact I'm sleeping less than usual. But I awake more allert, feeling healthy and ready for the day. Sadly in my country everything is so expensive. And electronic cigarettes/eliquids are badly treated at the customs.

I also have a plan, and it's quite like the OP's. Thank you all for this wonderful forum!

 

[Vapeaddikt]

Congrats! You've also got a great community here to support you with your transition as well.

 

[jinnyroxs]

All the best bro! I stopped smoking analogs 3 months ago

 

[Cactus Breath]

Hey folks. Thanks for all the well wishes. I hear the many of you who say to not be too strict on the schedule. In the words of Captain. Barbosa, in Pirates of the Caribbean, they're "more what you'd call 'guidelines' than actual rules." The purpose is more to keep me motivated to step down in strength than to force a time-table.

Best wishes to you, sounds like you've got a good plan and solid motivation. I started off with absolutely no timetable or guidelines in mind - all I knew was that it was successfully keeping me away from cigarettes and that, in itself, was a victory after 25 years of smoking. I started out at 18 mg and almost immediately went up to 24 mg because it wasn't strong enough to completely kill the urges. After a couple weeks I tried stepping back down to 18 mg again and was fine with it. A few weeks later I decided to give 12 mg a try just to see how it worked, and I've been doing great there as well. On my last order, I bought one bottle of 6 mg juice along with my regular 12 mg bottles and have been using it on and off - seems like it's still doing the trick as I can vape it all day and be satisfied with it. If it keeps working I'll step my next order entirely down to 6 mg and see how it goes.

So in just over ten weeks I've gone from 24 mg to 12 / 6 mg...with no real intentions or timetable for doing so other than curiosity. I don't know if I'll ever go down to zero nic and/or quit vaping entirely - I have no plans for either. If it happens, it happens - either way, I know for a fact that I'm far better off than I would have been if I had continued smoking cigarettes!

 

[DoogieTony]

Sounds like a decent plan. Good luck and if you need some help don't hesitate to ask.

 

[_more_]

Hi Scarey, Welcome to ECF. Hope you keep us updated on your Vaping Journey and get involved in the many discussions here

Vaping is fun for me and although my nic level is lower than when i started, I have found out that i still like nic but only in vapor form. I have gone from 18mg to 3mg in a year. I also keep some 6mg around for occasional use. The best thing is i no longer want a cig..

 

[Wes F.]

I, like many of you, have started vaping as a means to stop smoking. I have smoked analogs for 16 years. I have tried patches, gums, lozenges, etc. My personal best is four months smoke free. I have identified my three worst enemies: Lack of "throat hit," Lack of sufficient motivation, and the idea that "just one, just for the quick buzz" won't hurt. I have a plan that addresses all three of these major concerns. First and foremost: I cannot have one analog cigarette, or cigar, or a quick pipe, all of which I have been known to use. My motivation: I have my first child on the way. Next: I use a fancy-schmancy e-cig, for the throat hit., and the nicotine. I start at 24mg nicotine. Start strong, to counteract the transitional issues. My goal is to drop to 18 mg after 3 months. After that, I go down a grade every 3 months. If a transition gives me trouble, I combine that level with the previous level, until I can safely go on the new strength. I expect this to take no less than one year to reach zero nicotine. When I am nicotine free, I learn to break a habit, not an addiction.After half of my life (I am 31) smoking, taking a whole year to break the nicotine is nothing. I'm taking my time, and doing it right this time.

Best of luck! Four weeks ago I started the same journey, almost the exact same story! Started at 18 and went down to 6mg/ml the next week. I've tried ONE cigarette since and it was HIDEOUS! Took 4 drags and threw it out. Get some good strong menthol and it will satisfy your cravings. Since its not smoking and you don't have to stop your day to vape, you will find you won't need it too be too strong. 18 years of loving to smoke and that fixed it in a couple weeks. Now I have a new hobby instead of a new addiction, lol.

Edit because I didn't proof read

 

[Amberina]

Sounds like a great plan. I think that quitting is very personal and what works for one person may not work for you. That being said I'm sure that you know yourself best and your plan will work for you. Just remember to not get discouraged if it gets hard. You can always turn to the great people here at ECF for advice and knowledge.

Best of luck with your journey!!!

Also, please give us updates to let us know how you are progressing!

 

[skoony]

good plan.
whats great about ecigs is there are so mny ways to taylor a plan that works for you.
good luck
mike

 

[RVK101]

Best of luck on your plan. I think 90% of it is just thinking it through and making a plan. Also, congrats on your first child.