Youth vaping has tripled in the last three years, and 1 in 5 children have tried vaping. Disposable vapes are clearly linked to the rise of vaping in children. They are cheap and easy to use, with 69% of current vapers aged 11 to 17 in Great Britain using them.
Your first day without vaping can be tough. Here are five steps you can take to handle your quit day.
1. Do Not Vape
On your quit day, the most important thing is that you don’t vape—not even one hit. Having a plan for how you will deal with triggers and urges to vape can make your quit day easier. Take it one day at a time. Focus on getting through today without vaping.
Revisit your quit plan to stay focused and confident during your quit day. If you haven’t made a quit plan yet, it’s not too late. Build your personalised quit plan now.
If you smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products, now is a good time to quit those too. We know it can seem challenging to quit smoking or using other tobacco products at the same time as quitting vaping, but becoming totally tobacco free is the best thing you can do for your health.
2. Stay Busy
You will probably think about vaping a lot today, which is totally normal. Staying busy will help you keep your mind off vaping, withdrawal symptoms, and cravings. Try some of these activities:
- Go for a walk, ride a bike, or do your favorite workout.
- Make a new playlist on your favorite music app.
- Have gum or sugar-free candy handy.
- Keep your hands busy with a pen or toothpick, or play a game on your phone.
- Drink lots of water.
- Relax with deep breathing.
- Plan a fun activity with friends and family who do not use vapes or any other tobacco products.
3. Avoid Vaping Triggers
Triggers are the people, places, things, and situations that set off your urge to vape. On your quit day, try to avoid triggers. Here are some tips to help you outsmart some common vaping triggers:
- Throw away your vapes, e-liquid bottles, pods, and chargers.
- Go to places where vaping isn’t allowed.
- Stay off social media accounts that remind you of vaping.
- Get plenty of rest and eat healthy. Feeling tired or run down can trigger you to vape.
- Change your routine to avoid the places and things you might associate with vaping.
4. Ask for Help
You don’t have to do this alone. Tell your family and friends when your quit day is. Ask them for support on quit day and in the first few days and weeks after. They can help you get through the rough spots. Let them know exactly how they can support you. For example, ask a friend to help you celebrate your first day being vape-free.
5. Reward Yourself
At the end of the day, reward yourself for being vape-free for 24 hours. You deserve it! It doesn’t have to be a big or expensive reward. Even taking extra time to do a favorite vape-free activity will make you feel good and help you be ready for day two of your quit attempt.
Source Link: Your First Day Without Vaping
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Common side effects of vaping include coughing, dry mouth and throat, mouth and throat irritation, shortness of breath and headaches. The routines connected to vaping are hard to stop, especially since unlike a cigarette which has an end point, people can vape for long periods of time. Research is still underway to find out the long-term effects of vaping.
If you would like to quit vaping but are finding it hard, here are some steps to gradual reduction over a week with the view to quitting completely:
- Switch from disposable vapes which can have numerous, harmful chemicals to refillable devices.
- Gradually reduce the strength of nicotine in in the e-liquid of the refillable device.
- Extend the time between each vape period.
- Limit where and when you vape, limiting where and extending when.
- Set a quit date and stop.
A few quick statistics and facts
- In 2022 21% of UK teens had vaped in 2013 it was 4.5%10
- Children and adolescents who vape are more than twice as likely to smoke cigarettes 12
- Only 40% of parents were aware that their children vaped against 70% for smoking9
- The nicotine content of one JUUL pod is equivalent to one pack of cigarettes26
- The nicotine content of one EFL bar is equivalent to 48/50 cigarettes or two and a half packs of cigarettes6
- Vaping poses a risk to lungs12 – In 2016 nearly 200 e-cigarette users developed severe lung disease in 22 states across USA
- Vaping often contains nicotine even when the juice is nicotine free13 which is highly addictive and affects brain development particularly in young people7
These new powers to issue Fixed Penalty notices are in addition to a maximum £2,500 fine that courts can already impose. The government will also be providing an additional £30 million a year for enforcement agencies to support work on underage and illicit sales of tobacco products and vapes.
Children should never vape. The number of children using vapes has tripled in the last three years.
The active ingredient in most vapes is nicotine, which when inhaled, is a highly addictive drug. The addictive nature of nicotine means that a user can become dependent on vapes, especially if they use them regularly.
Physical symptoms include “headaches, sweating, tremors, insomnia, increased appetite, abdominal cramps, and constipation,”
These are the first effects you're likely to feel, often within four to 24 hours after quitting.
