Vaping can represent a whole new arena for someone who is transitioning from smoking. It provides less harmful exposure and controls their habit while in the process. Nevertheless, some risks may be associated with vaping as well. Puffparadise understands the complexity involved with this shift and provides a wide variety of vaping devices. Let’s walk through this article to learn how to make the switch real by looking at smoking versus vaping, safety concerns, and, most importantly, a step-by-step guide that aims to streamline the transition process as much as possible.
What is Vaping?
Vaping is the inhaling and exhaling of vapour produced by an electronic cigarette, also called an e-cigarette or a vape device. However, unlike traditional smoking, wherein tobacco is actually burned to produce smoke, vaping works by heating up a liquid (the different terms are e-liquid or vape juice) until it aerosolises into vapour. The vapour is then inhaled, thus delivering nicotine, if present, and flavour without toxic by-products usually obtained with combustion.
A typical vape device consists of three main components: a battery that powers the device, a coil or atomiser that heats the e-liquid, and a tank or pod that stores the e-liquid. Depending on the device, the coil heats the e-liquid to make it into vapour when the user inhales or presses a button.
Many former smokers have resorted to vaping as an alternative because this way, one can control the quantity of nicotine consumed but also avoid the wasteful chemical content present. They also find an almost endless number of flavour profiles and device varieties available, thus making their experience much more personalised.
What are the differences between Vaping and Smoking?
People who smoke and vape deliver nicotine through different mechanisms. While smoking involves burning tobacco, vaping requires heating a liquid into an aerosol that is inhaled. An e-liquid consists mainly of nicotine, flavourings, and other additives. Vaping removes combustion, significantly reducing exposure to the harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke.
Some smokers find vaping helps them transition from smoking traditional cigarettes. Nevertheless, it is vital to see vaping not as an entirely safe alternative. It may still induce nicotine addiction as well as expose the inhaler to other harmful substances. Moreover, there are apprehensions about the marketing of e-cigarettes, especially among flavoured
e-cigarettes, with the potential risk of appealing to youth who perhaps would never have smoked.
When thinking about the safety of vaping, it must be considered that the industry is still somewhat young, and the legislative regulation is still catching up. The formulation and quality of e-liquids could vary quite widely, with some e-liquids being shown to contain harmful impurities. It should also be noted that “e-cigarettes vs traditional cigarettes” is not absolute. Both options are risky, and refraining from both enjoys the safest status. Instead of vaping, if you are thinking about quitting smoking, it is advised to turn toward
evidence-based approaches like nicotine replacement therapy (using patches, gum, or lozenges) and behavioural counselling.
What are the Steps to transition from Smoking to Vaping?
For a smooth transition from smoking to vaping and an eventual consistent stay away from the habit, it must be strategic. Here are the essential steps taken for such a change:
- Understanding Why Vaping is a Better Alternative to Smoking
Switching from smoking to vaping has many benefits. From a health point of view, cigarette introduces thousands of harmful chemicals into the user’s body, which leads to severe health complications. There is no combustion in vaping, thus significantly reducing inhalation of these toxins. The truth is that vaping is recognised as not completely risk-free, with Public Health England estimating it to be at least 95% less harmful.
Switching to vaping has financial benefits as well. Because even if you have to invest in a vaping device, it turns out that after this initial cost, continuing to vape is considerably cheaper than lifelong spending on cigarettes. Thus saving the user several hundred hundreds of dollars or probably thousands each year.
Vaping offers the chance to regulate nicotine intake, which is a serious intention for people to stop smoking. E-liquids have different strengths, meaning that the consumer can lessen the nicotine intake while dealing with cravings, unlike fixed nicotine levels seen in cigarettes. So, understanding why vaping is a better alternative to smoking is a very important step.
- Choosing the Right Vape Kit for Beginners
Choosing the right vape kit is another crucial step. Beginners should opt for the most straightforward and easiest-to-use vape kits. Uwell Caliburn or Vaporesso XROS serves the purpose. They are small, making them an optimal alternative to the obvious cigarettes. The same goes for vape pens. Beginners should mostly avoid box mods and sub-ohm kits, mainly because of their customisable nature. They require high maintenance.
The heaviest smokers, smoking about 15 cigarettes a day, might consider nicotine salts of about 20mg/ml, which would feel quite fulfilling. Moderate smokers, those who smoke between 10 and 15 cigarettes a day, might consider going for between 12 and 18mg freebase or nicotine salt. For light smokers, who smoke between 5 and 10 cigarettes each day, nicotine strength would be between 6mg and 12mg. Occasional smokers (<5 cigarettes/day) can start with 3mg-6mg freebase nicotine.
Nicotine salts are generally preferred because their throat hit is very smooth compared to the freebase evolution. They are absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly, mimicking traditional nicotine delivery.
- Choosing the Right E-Liquid Flavour
The importance of selecting the appropriate e-liquid flavour cannot be emphasised enough, especially when it involves the smoking transition. Most smokers tend to choose tobacco or menthol initially because these flavours remind one so closely enough of traditional cigarettes actually to assist with that transition.
When the user becomes accustomed to vaping more, venturing into other flavour profiles can stimulate the vaping experience while gradually decreasing cravings for cigarettes.
Fruity and mouth-watering flavours like Berry Blast, Mango Ice, and Cola are refreshing alternatives. In contrast, dessert and coffee flavours such as Vanilla Custard and Caramel Latte offer an almost sinful experience. Trying flavours makes the transition more enjoyable and sustainable.
- Learning How to Vape Correctly
Learning and adapting to the right vaping technique is quite imperative when one wants to make a comfortable shift from smoking. Most new vapers make the mistake of copying cigarette-like inhalations and end up having a harsh, uncomfortable experience.
Mouth-To-Lung (MTL) techniques are recommended for beginners and switchers. In this vaping technique, you draw the vapour into your mouth for a second or so and then inhale it into the lungs. However, Direct-to-lung (DTL) involves direct inhalation of the vapour into the lungs in a single breath and is generally used by high-powered devices. These devices are not recommended for beginners. Whatever the technique in practice, it is crucial to remember that the inhalation must be slow and steady with no sharp, brief drags like those taken while smoking a cigarette.
- Adjusting to the Transition Phase
Switching from a cigarette to an e-cigarette should be gradual. For the first three days, consider having your e-cig around. Use that e-cig whenever urges to smoke arise.
Within the first week, try to decrease the number of cigarettes smoked gradually. Increase the frequency of vaping. For the next couple of weeks to a month, completely replace smoking with vaping. After a month, if you still wish to smoke, please reassess your nicotine strength. Experiment with some other e-liquid flavour as an alternative to see if it works better for you. You may also face minor withdrawal symptoms like craving, hyperirritability, or headache during the first days. Drinking water and increasing your vaping sessions will ease these symptoms and make your transition easy.
- Reducing Nicotine Gradually Over Time
Once a person has successfully transitioned to vaping, a gradual reduction of nicotine intake is advised. Start off at the nicotine level you vape now. After that, try to reduce the level of nicotine in your e-liquid every four to six weeks. When you reach a nicotine level of 3 mg, switch to zero-nicotine e-liquids or stop vaping altogether. This type of gradual process is designed to lessen withdrawal symptoms, thus making for a much more bearable and easier departure from nicotine.
- Maintaining Vaping Success & Avoid Relapse
For vaping to be an effective replacement therapy for smoking, one must adopt measures and strategies that help prevent relapse. A great vaping experience should be very consistent with carrying spare devices and coils. This helps lower the chance of falling back to smoking.
You should explore as many e-liquid flavours as possible to keep the transition lively. The stress triggers, or social cues that evoke the desire to smoke must be identified. And then you need to start vaping instead of smoking consciously. Support systems, such as online communities, vape shops, and ex-smoker forums, contribute much encouragement and shared experiences. If relapse occurs, consider it a temporary slip rather than an outright failure. The immediate best way to combat it is just to resume vaping as quickly as possible instead of re-establishing the cigarette habit.
