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Give and get support around quitting

titopia
Member

Anyone else new to juul but never smoked cigharettes?

I am 56 and never smoked before- won’t ever- but the juul was something I picked up this summer during an extremely stressful time and realize now I need to quit...any tips? Is it as bad as smoking?

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8 Replies
YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

While the jury is still mostly out, I think, comparing tobacco cigarettes and nicotine vaping, I am of the opinion that the only safe thing to inhale into our lungs is air, and you are still inhaling foreign substances with the Juul.  It is good the you realize you need to quit.  We can help!

Although primarily a smoking cessation site, I have seen a huge increase in the number of people coming for help to break free from vaping. Research suggests nicotine may be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. Here is a great article with information about the products: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/vaping/vaping-101-what-know-about-e-cigs-addiction-illnesses-n1054981... There is further information here: https://www.becomeanex.org/quitting-e-cigarettes and here; https://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/smoking-facts/impact-of-e-cigarettes-on-lung.html .

E-cigarette users can get more nicotine than they would from a tobacco product — extra-strength cartridges are available, or the e-cigarette’s voltage can be increased to get a greater hit of the substance. I understand some pods equal the nicotine in a pack of cigarettes. Because it is available to you most anywhere, anytime, I believe it might be more difficult from which to break free than tobacco products - but it CAN be done!

Nicotine addiction is nicotine addiction - no matter the delivery device - and how to beat any of them is about the same. Every time you read :"cigarette" in the information I will give you, just sub "Juul" or “vape,” or “device.”   The one thing different I would recommend is that you first start to reduce the nicotine content of the pods.  Start with a lesser amount in, like, one in every four, then three, etc. until you are only using the smallest amount, or reduce the amount of nicotine in the pods over time That way the physical withdrawal should be more manageable. You might find useful information, as well, here: https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/quitting-smoking-vaping/quitting-e-cigarettes.

I recommend that you educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind To that end, I suggest Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” . Vaping was not a concern when this was written, so you will need to sub “vape”as necessary. This is an easy and entertaining read which can be found online or at your local library. If you do nothing else to get ready for your quit, please do give this a read. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort after you have tried to delay and distract.   I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them..  For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum.  For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time.

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each device use, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each use off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a puff just because you think you do

The idea is to change up your routines so the vaping associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from where you vaped. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first puff with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to vape so the view is different. Take a different route when you are out and about so you aren't driving by your vaping supply shop. Take a quick walk at break time instead of vaping.


You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that vaping thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of vape if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...


The conversation in your head in response to the "I want to vape" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!


 Nancy

titopia
Member

This is SUPER helpful!! Thank you. Will follow the links- having never been addicted to anything before, this helps me see it as just another habit to develop (the habit of not using the Juul!).

Rhyz

sweetplt
Member

Hello and Welcome to Ex’s...you have received some great advice from Nancy above me...We are here to help you...come to the support site often ... Happy Wednesday ~ Colleen 450 DOF 

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Barbscloud
Member

There are some members here that were only vaper's.   Hopefully you'll hear from them.  It is still a nicotine addiction, so many of the practices on this site will helpful.   Educating yourself about nicotine addiction, creating a quit plan, and having support from others makes it doable.  We're here to support you.  Here's a group of vaper's on this site that you can join.

Barb

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/e-cig-users 

AnnetteMM
Member

I actually used Juul to quit cigarettes, and didn't consider myself "quit" until I was clear of all nicotine.

Nicotine is addictive. You are now addicted to it. Doesn't matter if you smoked before or not.

So...keep reading all you can and formulate a plan.  Here's my story:  https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/people/AnnetteMM/blog/2019/09/08/how-to-quit-juul-or-vaping-in-ge... 

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Jm2002
Member

I started using vape products as well, and I too have never smoked a cigarette, but I found that I was increasingly addicted to the nicotine vapes. The 5% pods in Juul hold roughly the same amount of nicotine as 20-25 cigarettes. I was going through a pod a day in the peak of my addiction, and at 17 and being the equivalent of a pack a day smoked scared me. In my opinion, for many people the vape products are more addicting than cigarettes because of the seemingly harmless flavors and information that is presented. 

YoungAtHeart
Member

Jm2002      Have you already quit or are you getting ready to quit?

Nancy

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Jm2002
Member

I already quit. I’m currently three days without any nicotine