The act of switching from smoking to vaping has various benefits, and we’re here to lay them out and explain what happens when you quit smoking and start vaping.
If you’re looking to learn how to quit smoking through vaping, vape pod kits and vape pen devices are one of the most impactful tools to help with this. After all, quitting smoking is a long journey, and it’s never easy to let go of the cigarettes and fight through the cravings no matter how long you’ve smoked.
Read on to find out more about what happens when you quit smoking and start vaping.
What Happens When You Stop Smoking and Start Vaping?
Firstly, is it OK to switch from smoking to vaping?
You’ll be pleased to know the answer to this question is yes! When smokers use vaping as a tool to help them quit, they can experience a smoother transition into a smoke-free life. Check out more information on the safety of vaping before taking a look at a quick timeline of what happens when you stop smoking and start vaping below.
After 20 minutes of quitting smoking, your pulse rate begins to slow down and return to its regular rate.
After eight hours of quitting smoking, your oxygen levels begin to recover, and your carbon monoxide levels start to decrease heavily.
After three days without a cigarette, all the carbon monoxide is removed from your body, while your lungs start to clear mucus. You may also experience a better sense of smell and taste and much easier breathing as your bronchial tubes begin to relax.
Your circulation will improve, enabling your blood to pump around your body much more efficiently.
Your lung function will increase, lessening the chance you will experience symptoms like wheezing and coughs.
After quitting smoking for one whole year, your risk of having a heart attack will be halved.
Wow, you’ve reached the ten-year mark! At this point, your risk of death from lung cancer will be halved.
Switching From Smoking to Vaping Benefits
If our timeline hasn’t yet convinced you that switching from smoking to vaping is a good idea, take a look at our range of other benefits below.
- Enjoy health benefits
When it comes to which is better for the lungs, vaping or smoking, you should know that vaping exposes you to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking. So, by learning how to switch from smoking to vaping, you can decrease your exposure to toxins that pose the risk of lung disease, cancer, strokes, and heart disease.
- Improve your chances of quitting smoking altogether
Switching to vaping improves your chances of quitting smoking altogether by getting you used to a less harmful alternative that can still deliver your nicotine hit. Vaping delivers nicotine without many of the harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke, helping to decrease withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
- Embrace a similar sensation to smoking without the effects
Vaping is perfect for those people who are looking to replicate the sensation of inhaling a cigarette without the damaging effects that regular smoking causes. Furthermore, vapes can also provide a hit of nicotine, which can mean it’s more successful at satisfying cigarette cravings. Our nicotine guide can help you understand what level of nicotine you should be vaping depending on what sort of nicotine content you used to smoke.
- Improved social life
The stale smell of cigarette smoke clings to every smoker, which may make it a struggle for your friends and family to hang out with you. Furthermore, if your friends have young children or their own health issues, they might be reluctant to have a smoker near them because of the risk of exposure to second-hand smoke. So, when you decide to quit smoking and start vaping, your social life is sure to improve drastically.
- Become more present in the moment
Smokers can often miss out on key moments in life by standing outside having a cigarette. However, with the right nicotine content in your e-liquid, a quick hit from your vape is enough to satisfy your cravings, so you don’t need to keep taking smoke breaks.
- Increase your energy
Smoking cigarettes does huge amounts of damage to your lungs and circulation, which can mean they aren’t able to absorb the full amount of oxygen from every breath you take. This can tire you and leave you with less energy for daily activities. But when you quit smoking, your lungs start to heal, meaning you can keep up with your children, get back in shape, and generally have more energy in your day-to-day life.
- Save money
Smoking cigarettes is a very expensive habit, depending on how much you smoke. After all, the government regularly increases taxes on cigarette products to discourage people from smoking. But, if you quit smoking and start vaping, you could find yourself saving money. Most starter vape kits are reusable and last for long periods, meaning the cost per use will reduce the longer you use your vape kit.
How to Switch From Smoking to Vaping
Here’s our step-by-step method on how to switch from smoking to vaping.
1. Choose the right device
When you begin the search for your first vape device, you'll soon find that the choices are vast, and it's easy to become overwhelmed. Don't worry; most people feel like this. After all, it can seem more complicated than buying, lighting, and smoking some cigarettes.
The go-to for most beginners is a basic vape kit, which does exactly what it says on the tin. It's a basic (but high-quality) kit that you can use right out of the box and is easy to use. In fact, many vapers stick with a basic kit and never feel the need to upgrade.
However, if you want long-lasting battery life throughout the day or wish to try a wide range of e-liquid flavours, you will need to upgrade to a kit that includes changeable batteries and interchangeable tanks. This means a basic kit may not be best suited to you, as many of these kits are not upgradeable.
We would suggest the following:
Go-to beginner kit: Aspire Pockex Kit
Upgradeable starter kits: Aspire Zelos 3
If you want to try something different, ensure your choice aligns with your vaping needs and preferences. Weigh up features such as battery life and size with your budget and prioritise what’s most important to you.
2. Experiment with e-liquids
A wide range of e-liquids is available — all of which suit the needs and tastes of different people. One of the essential aspects of vaping is discovering e-liquids that benefit your vaping experience the most. After all, you can enjoy vaping A LOT more than smoking a cigarette.
Those with a sweet tooth may want to check out some fruity or dessert-style flavours, whereas others prefer a range of minty or creamy e-liquids to enjoy throughout the day. It all comes down to preference. There are even tobacco flavours available if you have a taste for that classic smoky flavour, minus the health repercussions, of course!
3. Pick a quit date
Choose a specific date to stop smoking and start vaping, helping you prepare yourself mentally for the transition. If you have a date in mind, you always have something to work towards.
4. Learn how to vape
The best thing you can do when you embark on your vaping adventure is to buy a basic, high-quality and easy-to-use device. Then, as we mentioned, upgrade when you want to. This will allow you to familiarise yourself with vaping in general and learn how to use it effectively.
From here, you will be much more knowledgeable and capable when exploring the various upgrades and mods. Check out our beginner's guide to vaping for more advice.
5. Choose the correct nicotine strength
This aspect of vaping is less about preference and more about what your body is used to. There are different strength e-liquids available to suit users' needs depending on how much nicotine they require, which is established by their previous smoking habits.
Ensuring you have the correct strength is crucial, as vaping with a mix that is too strong can result in headaches and nausea. In contrast, choosing a weaker mix can fail to satisfy cravings and increase your chances of returning to smoking cigarettes. Both of these issues can put people off before they give vaping a chance.
Although this rule isn't set in stone, it's a good guideline to follow:
- Heavy smokers (20+ cigarettes a day): 12-18mg nicotine liquids
- Medium smokers (10 to 20 cigarettes a day): 6mg nicotine liquids
- Light smokers (1 to 10 cigarettes a day): 3mg nicotine liquids
6. Reduce your nicotine strength
Over time, you may consider gradually lowering your vape nicotine strength in your e-liquid, which can slowly help you decrease your nicotine dependence. During this time, you may also reach out to support groups or loved ones who will be happy to give you encouragement on your journey to quitting smoking. For more information regarding nicotine, check out our guide on nic salts.
7. Be patient!
All in all, when it comes to how to switch from smoking to vaping, the number one rule is to be patient. Switching from smoking to vaping is a process, and it may take time to fully transition and eventually get rid of your nicotine intake altogether.
How Long Does it Take to Switch from Smoking to Vaping?
The answer to this one can vary widely from person to person. While some smokers can make the switch in just a few days or weeks, it can take several months for others. The timeframe can be affected by factors like your nicotine dependence, commitment to quitting, and your success in finding the right vape to help you quit.
Side Effects of Switching from Smoking to Vaping
While switching from smoking to vaping has benefits, you should also be aware of some of the side effects. Knowing what these are can help you power through your journey before you consider switching back to smoking immediately. Let’s take a look at some potential side effects below.
- Headaches
When your body gets used to the adjusting levels of nicotine in your system as well as a different mode of absorption, be aware of headaches and nausea. Headaches can be targeted by adjusting your e-liquid’s nicotine strength, so keep an eye on your intake and take things from there!
- Coughing
Switching from smoking to vaping can cause you to cough, as one of the most common side effects. This results from your throat and lungs adjusting to inhaling vapour instead of smoke, or other causes such as dehydration or using a different inhalation technique.
- Throat irritation
You may also experience throat irritation due to new adjustments. Experiment with different e-liquids and nicotine strengths, and stay hydrated to decrease this side effect.
What is the Best Vape to Use to Quit Smoking?
So, now that you know all about what happens when you quit smoking and start vaping, you’ll want to buy the best vape to help you along in your journey. The best vape to use to quit smoking will depend on your personal preferences. Here are a few different options you should consider:
- Mouth-to-Lung devices
MTL devices tend to offer a tighter draw, similar to smoking a cigarette. They are also suited for higher-strength nicotine e-liquids and NIC SALTS, which can be more satisfying to smokers.
Try out the Uwell Caliburn A3 Pod Kit.
- Pod systems
Pod systems are easy to use, draw-activated to mimic smoking, and portable.
Try out the Vaporesso XROS 4 Mini Pod Kit.
- Starter kits
Beginner kits come with everything you need to start vaping, are easy to use, and are reliable.
Try out the Innokin Endura Apex Pen Kit.
Our Final Thoughts on Switching from Smoking to Vaping
So there you have it! Hopefully, you’re now all clued up on the benefits of switching from smoking to vaping and how you can go about enjoying them.
Making the transition from smoking to vaping doesn't have to be complicated or require a great deal of effort. All you have to do to get started is purchase your first vape kit and enjoy a healthier and more enjoyable alternative to smoking!
If you need any advice about using vaping as a way to quit smoking or help with finding the right vape kit for your needs, speak to one of our vape experts today. We’d be more than happy to help!