About quitting vaping

What it is, why it happens and what helps. Contents:

• Why quit vaping?
• What you gain
• If you used to smoke
• Why vaping is hard to quit
• What to expect
• Make a quit plan
• Gradual or all at once?
• How to cut down gradually
• Nicotine replacement
• Handling cravings
• Urge surfing
• Know your triggers
• Stress without vaping
• Move to beat cravings
• Get support
• Free text and app support
• Mindfulness for quitting
• Tapping, hypnosis, NLP and Havening
• If you slip
• How self-help methods fit in
• Celebrating progress
• FAQs

Why quit vaping?

People quit vaping for lots of reasons. The NHS lists common ones as breaking dependence on nicotine, concerns about long-term health effects and saving money. [2] Others want to feel more in control, stop reaching for a vape every few minutes, sleep better or simply be free of the habit. Vaping can also be expensive: if you spend $15 a week on pods or e-liquid, that adds up to $780 a year. The NHS suggests quitting because you want to, not because someone else says you should. [2] Write your own reasons down and keep them somewhere you will see them. You can explore related topics in our Health hub.

What you gain

Quitting brings benefits you can notice quickly. You no longer have to plan your day around charging, refilling and buying pods. Your money stays in your pocket. You stop feeling restless when you can’t vape, such as on a flight, in a meeting or at a family event. Many people say they feel calmer once the first few weeks are over, because they are no longer riding the ups and downs between doses of nicotine. You may also sleep more soundly and feel more in control. Make a list of the gains that matter most to you and read it whenever a craving hits.

If you used to smoke

If you switched to vaping to stop smoking, well done: that was a big step. The NHS advises that you should only quit vaping if you are confident you can do it without going back to cigarettes, as smoking is far more harmful than vaping. [2] If you feel at risk of smoking again, take your time, use support and consider stepping down gradually. Our guide to quitting smoking has lots of helpful ideas that work for vaping too.

Why vaping is hard to quit

Most vapes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Vaping is also easy to do anywhere, at any time, so it can become linked to almost every part of your day: waking up, work breaks, driving, phone time, socialising and winding down. Many people take far more puffs than they realise. That is why quitting is about two things: easing the physical need for nicotine and changing the habits around it. Both are very doable with a plan.

What to expect

When you stop, your body needs time to adjust to less nicotine. The NHS lists common withdrawal symptoms as strong cravings, feeling irritable or low, trouble concentrating, feeling hungrier than usual and difficulty sleeping. [2] The good news is that they are temporary. Research on quitting nicotine from tobacco found that symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, low mood, poor concentration, restlessness and trouble sleeping peak within the first week and last two to four weeks. [5] Knowing this can help: the hardest part is usually the start, and it gets easier each day.

Make a quit plan

A plan makes quitting much easier. NHS inform suggests thinking about why you vape, how often and how much nicotine you use, how you will handle situations where you would usually vape, remembering your reasons, setting a quit date and asking family and friends for support. [6] Decide:

• Your quit date, ideally within the next two weeks.
• Your approach: cutting down gradually or stopping in one step.
• Your craving plan: what you will do when an urge hits.
• Your support: who you will tell and who can help.
• Your rewards: how you will celebrate each milestone.

Before your quit date, remove spare vapes, pods and chargers from your home, bag and car.

Gradual or all at once?

There is no single right way. The NHS describes two approaches: cutting down gradually to give your body time to adjust, or stopping in one step, ideally with help from a pharmacist or stop smoking adviser. [2] Gradual works well if you are a heavy vaper or worried about cravings. Stopping in one go suits people who like a clean break. Pick the one that feels right for you; you can always change approach if it isn’t working.

How to cut down gradually

The NHS suggests three ways to cut down: [2]

• Lower the nicotine strength. Check your e-liquid’s nicotine content and gradually reduce it, paying attention to how you feel. If you find yourself vaping more, you may have stepped down too quickly.
• Increase the time between sessions. If you usually vape every 20 minutes, try every 40 minutes instead.
• Create vape-free spaces. Choose places or times where you won’t vape, like work, your bedroom or the car, and slowly expand them.

Many people also find it helps to keep their vape out of reach, such as in a drawer, rather than in their hand or pocket.

Nicotine replacement

If you would like to stop in one step, the NHS suggests asking your pharmacist or stop smoking adviser about switching to a suitable nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as a fast-acting mouth spray, sometimes combined with a patch. [2] NRT gives you nicotine without the vaping habit, so you can break the habit first and then step down from the nicotine. A pharmacist can help you choose the right product and strength.

Handling cravings

Cravings are normal, especially in the first few weeks. They feel urgent, but they pass. Try these:

1. Pause. Notice: “This is a craving.”
2. Delay. Wait a few minutes. Cravings rise, peak and fade.
3. Breathe. Take slow breaths with long out-breaths.
4. Move. Go for a brisk walk or do a few stretches.
5. Keep your hands and mouth busy. Try sugar-free gum, a drink of water or a stress ball.
6. Tap. A few rounds of EFT tapping can take the edge off. There are guided videos in Videos.

The NHS also suggests staying busy with distractions like walks or puzzles. [2]

Urge surfing

Urge surfing means imagining a craving as a wave. Instead of fighting it or giving in, you notice where you feel it in your body, breathe and watch it rise, peak and fall. In a study of student smokers, a brief urge-surfing instruction did not change how strong urges felt, but those who learned it smoked significantly fewer cigarettes over the following week. [7] In other words, it changes how you respond to urges. There is a guided urge-surfing practice in Videos.

Know your triggers

Most vaping is linked to triggers: certain times, places, people or feelings. Common ones include waking up, coffee, work breaks, driving, gaming or scrolling, being with other vapers, stress and boredom. For a few days before you quit, note each time you vape and what was happening. Then plan an alternative for each trigger. If you always vape in the car, keep gum or water there. If you vape on work breaks, take a short walk instead. The NHS suggests avoiding triggers where you can, especially early on. [2]

Stress without vaping

Many people vape to cope with stress, but nicotine withdrawal between puffs can itself feel like stress, which keeps the cycle going. Once you are past the first few weeks, many people find they feel calmer overall. In the meantime, build other ways to unwind: slow breathing, a walk, music, a chat with a friend, relaxation, Havening or meditation. Our guides to stress management and anxiety have more.

Move to beat cravings

A short burst of exercise is one of the quickest ways to ease a craving. A meta-analysis of studies on people taking a break from smoking found that short bouts of physical activity, such as a brisk walk, reduced the strength of cravings compared with resting. [3] A walk round the block, a few flights of stairs or ten minutes of stretching can all help. Regular exercise also helps with mood, sleep and the extra appetite some people notice when they quit.

Get support

You don’t have to do this alone. The NHS suggests telling friends and family you are quitting and how they can help, and teaming up with someone else who is quitting so you can check in with each other. [2] A pharmacist or stop smoking adviser can also help, and in the UK, local Stop Smoking Services offer free expert advice and support. [2]

Free text and app support

Text message programmes are a simple, free way to get daily encouragement and tips. In a large randomised trial with 2,588 young adults who vaped, those who received an interactive text message programme were more likely to have quit seven months later: 24.1% compared with 18.6% in the comparison group. [4] The programme tested is now part of the free EX Program from Truth Initiative. [8] Many quit apps also let you track your vape-free days and money saved.

Mindfulness for quitting

Mindfulness teaches you to notice cravings with curiosity rather than acting on them automatically. In a randomised trial, smokers who did a mindfulness training course cut down faster and were much more likely to have stopped at the 17-week follow-up than those on a standard programme: 31% compared with 6%. [1] Psychiatrist Judson Brewer, who led the study, explains the approach in his TED talk in Videos. Our mindfulness guide has more.

Tapping, hypnosis, NLP and Havening

Many people use these gentle techniques alongside a practical plan. EFT tapping combines tapping on acupressure points with focusing on a craving or feeling, and many people use it to take the edge off urges. Hypnosis uses deep relaxation and suggestion to strengthen motivation and change your response to triggers. NLP offers techniques such as the swish pattern, which replaces the mental picture of reaching for a vape with an image of the person you want to be. Havening uses gentle, soothing touch to calm stress. Guided sessions for each are in Videos.

If you slip

Slips are a normal part of quitting. The NHS reassures that it’s okay if it takes a few tries to quit for good. [2] If you vape again, don’t give up. Be kind to yourself, notice what led to it and plan what you will do differently next time. Every vape-free day still counts, and each attempt teaches you something useful for the next one.

How self-help methods fit in

Quitting vaping involves nicotine, habits and feelings, so many people combine approaches. A practical plan, cutting down or NRT, and support come first. Mindfulness has research support for helping people stop using nicotine. [1] EFT tapping and Havening help soothe cravings and stress. Hypnosis and NLP work with motivation and automatic habits. If you want to change other habits too, our guides to addiction and cutting down on alcohol use many of the same tools.

Celebrating progress

Notice and celebrate your wins: your first vape-free morning, your first day, your first week and your first month. The NHS suggests treating yourself to something small or celebrating with friends. [2] Put the money you save towards something you will enjoy. Many people notice they feel freer, calmer and more in control once the first few weeks have passed. If you find quitting hard, a pharmacist or your doctor can talk through more options. Directories for several countries are in Get help & sources.

Frequently asked questions

What are the withdrawal symptoms of quitting vaping?

Strong cravings, feeling irritable or low, trouble concentrating, feeling hungrier and difficulty sleeping. [2]

How long does nicotine withdrawal last?

Research on quitting nicotine found most withdrawal symptoms peak within the first week and last two to four weeks. [5]

Should I quit vaping gradually or all at once?

Either can work. You can lower nicotine strength and space out sessions, or stop in one step with nicotine replacement and advice from a pharmacist. [2]

I switched to vaping to quit smoking. Should I stop?

Only quit vaping if you are confident you won’t go back to smoking, as staying smoke-free matters most. [2]

How do I stop vape cravings?

Pause, breathe, wait for the urge to pass and move. Short bursts of activity reduce cravings. [3]

Can mindfulness help me quit?

Yes. In a trial, mindfulness training helped more smokers quit than a standard programme. [1]

Is there free support to quit vaping?

Yes. A free text message programme helped young adults quit vaping in a large trial, and pharmacists and local Stop Smoking Services can help. [4] [2]

The best videos on quitting vaping

Hand-picked and checked one by one: a psychiatrist, a pharmacist and teachers, plus urge surfing, tapping, hypnosis and Havening for cravings.

How to quit

Cravings and habits

Hypnosis, NLP and Havening

Books on quitting vaping

Free resources

Experts to follow

Get help

Ask a pharmacist or your doctor about nicotine replacement if cravings are hard to manage.

Find a therapist or counsellor

• US and Canada: Psychology Today (US) and (Canada) directories.
• UK: BACP therapist directory.
• Australia: APS Find a Psychologist, and Relationships Australia for couple and family services.
• Elsewhere, including Europe and India: ask your doctor or local health service for a referral, and check that anyone you see is registered or accredited where you live.

This hub is for information, not a substitute for medical or psychological care.

Sources

1. Brewer et al. (2011), Mindfulness training for smoking cessation: results from a randomized controlled trial, Drug and Alcohol Dependence 119(1-2):72-80
2. NHS Better Health, How to quit vaping
3. Haasova et al. (2013), The acute effects of physical activity on cigarette cravings: systematic review and meta-analysis with individual participant data, Addiction 108(1):26-37
4. Graham et al. (2021), Effectiveness of a vaping cessation text message program among young adult e-cigarette users: a randomized clinical trial, JAMA Internal Medicine 181(7):923-930
5. Hughes (2007), Effects of abstinence from tobacco: valid symptoms and time course, Nicotine & Tobacco Research 9(3):315-327
6. NHS inform, How to quit vaping
7. Bowen & Marlatt (2009), Surfing the urge: brief mindfulness-based intervention for college student smokers, Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 23(4):666-671
8. Truth Initiative, EX Program

Written by Saj Ali. Last updated 30 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will fix it.