The trouble is, e-cigs are far from virtuous. Theyre highly addictive and dangerous in their own right. Theyre probably not as bad as traditional cigarettes, but theyre still pretty bad, says Stanton Glantz, Ph.D., a professor of medicine and distinguished professor of tobacco control at the University of California, San Francisco.
How bad is vaping?
Glantz says the vaporized particles in e-cigarettes can cause heart and lung inflammation thats similar to what happens when you smoke tobacco. E-cigarettes may also elevate levels of some potentially dangerous lung proteins.
And theres the nicotine problem. Some vape liquids-namely Juul pods and their knockoffs- contain as much or more nicotine as a full pack of traditional cigarettes. Nicotine isnt just an addiction problem. Glantz says that compound mimics chemicals that nerves in the brain use to communicate with each other. So you start bathing your brain in nicotine, and this can disrupt normal neural pathways and their development, which is why young people who start on e-cigarettes have such a hard time quitting.
All compelling reasons to ditch a vaping habit, even though it wont be easy. While the science of e-cigarette cessation is young, Glantz says many of the same methods people use to quit traditional cigs should also help those who vape. Here, five study-backed methods to help you snuff out your habit:
1. Get some exercise
Theres ample evidence showing that people who exercise experience lower levels of nicotine cravings. Even short bouts of moderate-intensity physical activity-like a 10-minute jog or a quick stop in the weight room-can squelch these cravings.
If you want to activity up a notch, a 2017 study found that running can alter the neurochemical activity in your brain in ways that knock down nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Exercise also helps you take down stress, a known smoking trigger.
2. Avoid your triggers
Habits, whether theyre good or bad, develop when you do the same activity in the same context, says Benjamin Gardner, Ph.D., a senior lecturer in psychology at Kings College London. If you can avoid the cue-whether its walking to get coffee in the morning or visiting a certain bar-that should help you avoid the behavior, he says.
Of course, if youre used to vaping in your car or house, youre going to struggle to avoid those contextual cues. There, try replacing your vaping habit with something like chewing gum, so youre actively doing something, not just trying to stop doing something else. Give yourself a small reward when you opt out of vaping, like five minutes of a podcast or a few post-game highlights videos.
3. Consider this app
The app called This Is Quitting was created by the non-profit Truth Initiative , which started as a quit-smoking advocacy group but now also helps people avoid the dangers of e-cigs (Glantz has conducted research for the group). The app includes a number of tasks and exercises that are proven to help users quit. An optional free text message service is designed to help you stay on track as you work through this.
4. Talk with a counselor
Research has found-over and over again-that people who enlist the help of a therapist or counselor are more likely to quit smoking than those who go it alone. Your health insurance may even cover it . You can also call 800-QUIT-NOW for free phone counseling.
5. Make a plan
If your game plan involves little more than picking a quit date, youre setting yourself up for failure, according to the governments smoking cessation resources . Winging it wont end well.
Instead, start by writing down all the reasons you want to quit. (Its bad for your body, its expensive, etc.) Next, come up with tactics to help you avoid your usual vaping places or habits and to manage cravings. Being prepared for the tough moments helps you get through them.
Finally, tell your friends and family about your plan to quit. But only do it once youve actually managed to stop vaping for a day or two. While sharing your goals can help you stick with your plans, doing so before you start can kneecap your motivation.