How to Quit Vaping When It’s Really, Really Hard

It’s going to take some trial and error—but the most important thing is just getting started.

By Katie WayMedically reviewed by Shewit Giovanni, MD, MS

January 19, 2024

How to Quit Vaping When Its Really Really Hard

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When you first started vaping, it might have seemed like a better alternative to smoking cigarettes…but maybe you’re finding that now you’re just hooked on something else that makes you feel short of breath and twitchy. Whether your brain is dominated by the urge to hit your pen or you’re noticing that your lung capacity isn’t what it used to be, vaping takes a toll—and it’s notoriously hard to quit once you’ve picked it up.¹ That’s bad news, because vaping can lead to e-cigarette- or vaping-product-use-associated lung injury (EVALI), the symptoms of which include shallower breathing, chest pain, coughing, digestive issues, and fever and chills²—as well as straight-up nicotine addiction.

Juanita Mora, MD, a volunteer spokesperson and board member for the American Lung Association, tells SELF that people see her for help with quitting vaping for a spectrum of reasons. “They come to me because vaping is triggering asthma exacerbations,³ they find themselves with new-onset shortness of breath and fatigue, or they’re having a hard time exercising and don't feel like themselves when playing sports,” she says. “They’re struggling to catch their breath and tired all the time.” The common thread is that they want to quit because vaping is making their lives worse. If you’re thinking about stopping, then you’re probably in the same boat.

So how do you kick the habit—and not fall back into it? Here, Dr. Mora and a few other experts weigh in on how to quit with the help of your support system, health care providers, and, in some cases, nicotine replacement therapy. There’s no single way to break up with vaping, but knowing what your options are can set you on the path to an Elf Bar–free existence.

1. Set a firm quit date.

Choose a specific day to throw your vape out. “Setting a specific date to quit can be very, very motivating,” Megan Jacobs, the vice president of product at Truth Initiative, a public health nonprofit, tells SELF. “It gives people something to work towards, it keeps them accountable, and it gives them a date to hold on to in their mind: ‘This is how long it’s been since I quit.’” In 2019, Jacobs developed a text-message-based program called This Is Quitting, which is aimed at helping young people to quit vaping using user-submitted suggestions for staying on track. She said most of the people who use This Is Quitting pick a set day to stop.

One study on the effectiveness of setting a quit date when using an online nicotine cessation program like This Is Quitting found that users who did select a specific date and continued to interact with the program from that point forward were most likely to kick their habit.⁴ Another study found that smokers who set a quit date closer to when they made the choice to stop smoking were more likely to be successful than those who set a later date or didn’t set one at all⁵—so if you choose a quitting day, pick one happening soon.

2. Be prepared, because it’s gonna suck.

Quitting vaping comes with a lot of symptoms—both physical and mental—that seriously blow. Nicotine withdrawal can cause irritability, shitty sleep, spiked stress levels, decreased concentration, jumpiness and restlessness, feelings of anxiety and depression, and, of course, cravings, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those side effects fade away as you stick with it. “Physical and mental cravings peak in the first week and are at their worst in the first 48 hours,” Dr. Mora says. “Most symptoms resolve fully at week three after quitting vaping.”⁶ For some people it takes closer to a month, but don’t worry—the end’s in sight, even though things might feel totally miserable in the moment.

The initial nicotine withdrawal stage is the perfect time to utilize some tips we’ll go into more detail on below, like reaching for a lollipop or picking up a craft as a distraction—but according to the National Cancer Institute, one of the most important things you can do to ride out cravings is to remind yourself that these symptoms are temporary and that you’re on your way to a new and hopefully permanent vape-free stage of life—the kind of change that’s good, despite feeling uncomfortable. “Some people discover new hobbies,” Jacobs says. “They realize that they have a lot more time on their hands and more money to spend on things.”

3. Switch up your daily routine.

Maybe you reach for your vape when you’re stressed, to perk up while you’re driving to work, or out drinking with friends. According to Jacobs, it’s crucial to analyze when—and why—you vape in order to drop the habit permanently.

“When you use an addictive substance, your brain starts to make associations between that substance and whatever you’re doing or feeling at the time,” Jacobs says. “Those associations can become very hard to break. You're maybe not aware of the feelings, the people, the places, or different situations that are cueing your brain to say, ‘Hey, vaping would feel really good right now.’”

Becoming aware of your habits is the first step toward changing them. Make a note—whether it’s mentally, on a piece of paper, in a list on your phone, or in a smoking cessation app—about when your cravings are strongest so you know when you might need to employ coping strategies or ask for support. That way you’ll start to create new associations with the things that used to remind you to reach for your vape.

Clue the people you see on a regular basis—friends, coworkers, a partner, family members—on the fact that you’re kicking your vape habit. These people can serve as accountability buddies to help keep you vape-free—or, at the very least, they’ll know not to offer you a puff of their vape if they see you with your hands free.

4. Keep your mouth—and your brain—busy.

Jacobs says that painting, coloring, and knitting—activities that occupy your hands and your brain—help keep the people she works with away from vaping. She also suggests texting a friend who you haven’t talked to in a while when you get the urge to vape so you’re not just focused on suppressing your craving—you’re actually redirecting your energy elsewhere. In one study, distraction techniques were found to be the most helpful quitting tool people turned to as they quit.⁷

Lozenges and lollipops can also help replace the feeling of putting something in your mouth when you want to hit your vape. Obviously it’s not the same thing, but again, it’s all about breaking the habit and introducing something new and less harmful into your life instead.

5. Look into nicotine replacement methods.

You might think nicotine gum or patches are only for smokers, but experts say they can also be hugely useful if you’re quitting vaping. Those over-the-counter cessation aids, along with lozenges, nasal spray, and inhalers, deliver small, controlled amounts of nicotine to your system to cut the worst side effects of quitting and keep you on track. “It’s important to treat withdrawal and nicotine dependence long enough after quitting,” Tauheed Zaman, MD, program director for the UCSF Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship, tells SELF. “I recommend nicotine replacement therapy for at least three months after quitting.”

The patch, gum, and lozenges can be purchased over the counter, while the nasal spray and inhaler require a prescription. Talk to a primary care physician about what delivery method and what dose is best for you—or, if you don’t have a PCP, ask a pharmacist to help you decide what works the best, based on your former rate of vaping and other health factors. (If you’re pregnant, nicotine replacement therapy may not be a safe option for you—all the more reason to consult with a health care professional.)

6. Go through a mental list of why you’re doing this hard thing to begin with.

When it feels tough to stick to your vape-free resolution—and it will!—think about all of the good things that come from quitting. “Quitting vaping has huge health benefits,” Dr. Mora says. “Breathing better, feeling more focused and less tired. On a long-term basis, you’re reducing the risk of long-term lung damage.”^8,9

Dr. Zaman says mental health benefits from quitting vaping include getting better sleep, feeling less anxiety, experiencing generally sunnier moods,⁸ and enjoying the sweet relief of living your life without worrying about when or where you’ll be able to hit your vape next. (Like, get ready for a whole new lease on air travel!)

“So many young people that we’ve spoken to over the past five years say, ‘This was the hardest thing I've ever done, and now I feel like I can do anything,’” Jacobs says. “It’s amazing to give yourself a boost of confidence like that.”

7. Don’t throw in the towel if you give in to a craving.

“Relapse is very common,” Jacobs says.¹⁰ “Many people need more than one try to be able to quit for good. Every time, you're learning something new about yourself and what's going to work for you—and what won't work for you. The most important thing is to keep trying different things to find what will ultimately work.”

Didn’t set a quit date the first time? Set one this go-around. Opted not to use nicotine patches? Stop by your pharmacy and pick some up. Sign up for a support group if you didn’t the first time. The very best thing you can do after you slip up? “Get back on the horse without beating yourself up!” Dr. Zaman says. “Minimize the use as much as possible and start practicing the steps that helped you quit in the first place.” He suggests cluing people in your support system so that they can help you stay accountable when you try again.

According to Dr. Mora, once you hit six months vape-free, it’s fair to say you’ve officially quit for good. Just keep working at it until you figure out what it takes to get you to the finish line, where reaching for your vape 24/7 is nothing but a hazy memory.

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