How did you STOP smoking?

So I just dropped a decent amount of cash on a new Vape setup after spending the last two weeks purely vaping and not at all feeling the need to have a smoke. Even survived two drinking sessions without having or feeling the need for a smoke (that's usually the test of tests as any smoker will tell you).

Been smoking about 30 cigs a day for the past 18 years and I love smoking so I'm actually surprised at how well the vaping is working as a replacement. I didn't even plan to quit.

What's also interesting, when I was smoking I couldn't see myself not smoking, but changing to vaping it's easy not to smoke, in fact, I just had two drags of a colleagues cigarette just to see what difference not smoking a cig for two weeks has made (holy hell those two smoke drags felt terrible)... what's more, I can actually see myself quitting vaping after I've had my fun...

I'm just enjoying the whole "Vape scene" thing for now since it's at the very least much more interesting than smokes. Can't see this interest lasting more than a year though. We'll see.
 
dualmeister said:
I never started.
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The only time I tried to smoke I was with my friend, his cousin and her friend getting drunk in their caravan. Was my friend's turn to take a puff and he took a drink with one hand while the other with the cigarette was on my arm. I had a delayed reaction to the fact that the f**ker was burning me with it.

Thought that mark would be there forever but it's almost faded away. Never tried smoking again. Still drinking though.
 
Asgard85 said:
Allen Carr audio book. It took me about three days to get through and that was the end of that. Just over a year for me since my last puff.
Best decision.
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Same here but just the ebook. Worked immediately and I smoked for about 14 years.
 
Tobacco free for the first year as of 1 September! Still vaping (on 6mg), but the nic is going lower next month - that, and knowing after 4 MI's continuing would most definitely kill me - has kept me off the death sticks finally.
 
I use to smoke. Have not for about 7 years already.

To my understanding vaping still contains nicotine. So then surely one nicotine supply is just being replaced by another?
 
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Venomous said:
I use to smoke. Have not for about 7 years already.

To my understanding vaping still contains nicotine. So then surely one nicotine supply is just being replaced by another.
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It can. When I decided to stop vaping I incrementally lowered the nicotine level to zero which I maintained for a week or so before I stopped altogether.
 
Smoking is a habit and an addiction:

To deal with the habit part, sometimes just knowing about it helps. Or you may need to look at yourself and your surroundings and make changes.

To deal with the addiction part, you will need to prepare for 48 or so hours of hell and about two weeks to kick the craving.
 
lowriderza said:
Smoking is a habit and an addiction:

To deal with the habit part, sometimes just knowing about it helps. Or you may need to look at yourself and your surroundings and make changes.

To deal with the addiction part, you will need to prepare for 48 or so hours of hell and about two weeks to kick the craving.
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I'm not sure terming the initial phase as "hell" is helpful. I think it scares people and puts them off trying.

It's more like mild discomfort if you are aware of what is happening and accept it for what it is.

It can be a lot easier than most are led to believe.
 
Asgard85 said:
I'm not sure terming the initial phase as "hell" is helpful. I think it scares people and puts them off trying.

It's more like mild discomfort if you are aware of what is happening and accept it for what it is.

It can be a lot easier than most are led to believe.
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Just preparing people for the worst. For myself it was uncomfortable. For some of my friends it was hell. Especially for the chain smokers.
 
lowriderza said:
Just preparing people for the worst. For myself it was uncomfortable. For some of my friends it was hell. Especially for the chain smokers.
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I suppose it is different for everyone but I can remember hearing the nonsense about how quitting smoking is as hard as giving up heroin. It's rubbish and frankly just being committed and mindful until day three is enough.
 
smoked 2 packs a day for 28 years, then went onto vaping on 18mg strength, coupla years later i went down to 6mg and then a few months later down to 3mg, a year later i bought 0mg and blended it with my 3mg and then eventually in the last week of vaping i was only on 0mg except for what little nicoteine was still in the coil.
That Friday after work i had run outta juice and just left everything on my desk and went away for the weekend (hardly missed it at all), got back to work on Monday and knew i was already on the path to quitting for good.
Next month on 19th it will be 1 year - best move i ever made
 
Venomous said:
I use to smoke. Have not for about 7 years already.

To my understanding vaping still contains nicotine. So then surely one nicotine supply is just being replaced by another?
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It is. But nicotine, though poisonous if ingested, isn't what kills you - it's all the other (thousands) of chemicals in cigarettes that do it. Oh, and inhaling burnt paper and plant matter. Vaping usually only has 4 known chemicals.

Yes, you're still getting the nicotine and feeding a part of the addiction, but in a much safer way. Blood oxygen and CO return to normal levels pretty quickly after quitting, and stay at normal levels even when you vape, so your organs (most importantly your heart and brain) aren't being starved anymore.
 
I quit about 5 years ago. Finished 4 weeks on Champix, got down to 1 a day, and then my dad fell very ill with stage 4 cancer. I started back up again. Yes, the irony is not lost on me. A year later I went on Champix again, stopped in 4 weeks. The side effects were really, really bad. 30 minutes after taking a tablet, I would be extremely nauseous for quite a while. I had the wildest dreams, couldn't sleep and had so much energy I didn't know what to do with myself (which was ok, I suppose). I have not picked up a single cigarette since then. There are odd occasions where I will get an intense craving for less than minute or so (even up to today), but I just go drink water or something and it goes away as quickly as it came.

I don't get sick anymore, I don't have that smokers cough or wheeze, I can smell and taste better and my risk of lung cancer is rapidly reducing now. I was never athletic as a child due to bad childhood asthma. Always told myself I was not athletic, or couldn't run. About 2 years after I quit, I ran my first ever 5km and started training for my first Ironman. Took me a little under 2 years to train up for the full distance.

I loved smoking. I never thought I would ever stop. And then I did, and it was the smartest decision I have ever made.

Push through it. You can do it.
 
I'm on month 4! but I don't pat myself on the back too hard because I still use mix in my joints. If I could find an alternative I would.
 
Nicotine free 5 years next month. I was a heavy smoker for a decent part of 24 years prior to that.

Still crave cigarettes but the feeling passes. I started dry vaping weed since a year ago on weekends, if in the mood, but THC doesn't come close to a nicotine kick. It's like chalk and cheese.

Even with the cravings, don't think I'll ever go back to nicotine. Whatever is in the subconscious, preventing a relapse, working pretty darn well.
 
Venomous said:
To my understanding vaping still contains nicotine. So then surely one nicotine supply is just being replaced by another?
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It can, but that's only an issue if one believes nicotine is a problem. But it's also not the same as the nicotine delivered by burning tobacco nor does it contain the other enhancing chemicals.
 
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