*2023 Update - E-Cigarette technology improves with each generation, so check out the new New SMOKO VAPE POD!
There is growing evidence to support the use and value of e-cigarettes as a tool to quit smoking. E-cigarettes have been available in Europe since 2006, but the concept was around long before, the first documented reference to e-cigarettes is a patent granted to Joseph Robinson in 1930, which he filed in 1927!
Jump forward to 1965 and Herbert A. Gilbert was granted a patent and created a device that resembles the modern electronic cigarette. Jump again to 2003 to Beijing, China where Hon Lik created the first commercially successful electronic cigarette.
The concept of having nicotine in a liquid that would then be heated and inhaled hasn’t changed - initially the idea was that steam would be used, but this transformed into the mixture we see in e-cigarettes today: propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerine (VG) and nicotine. This achieved the aim of delivering nicotine without all the harmful chemicals we take into our lungs when smoking cigarettes.
REASONS WHY A PERSON MAY HAVE TROUBLE SWITCHING TO E-CIGS
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, which is what keeps us coming back to tobacco cigarettes, and we aren’t being fair to ourselves when we fail and blame it all on our lack of willpower. The American Heart Association suggests nicotine ingested when smoking is a very tough substance to give up - it is considered to be as hard as quitting heroin! Withdrawal symptoms are a serious issue, and a constant invitation to give up ‘giving up’.
Whether going cold turkey, or using some form of nicotine replacement therapy, giving up smoking for good is a real challenge for most of us, and many people don’t want to be on the NHS stop smoking service long term.
There are many products on the market to help quit the cigs, like nicotine replacement therapy in the form of pills or patches, but e-cigarettes deliver the nicotine as well as addressing the habitual side of the addiction. Whether it’s that after dinner cigarette, or a smoke with coffee in the morning, patches and pills leave this side of the problem unanswered, whereas going from smoking to vaping delivers the nicotine in a motion that smokers already associate with their nicotine hit.
Whether going cold turkey, or using some form of nicotine replacement therapy, giving up smoking for good is a real challenge for most of us, and many people don’t want to be on the NHS stop smoking service long term.
There are many products on the market to help quit the cigs, like nicotine replacement therapy in the form of pills or patches, but e-cigarettes deliver the nicotine as well as addressing the habitual side of the addiction. Whether it’s that after dinner cigarette, or a smoke with coffee in the morning, patches and pills leave this side of the problem unanswered, whereas going from smoking to vaping delivers the nicotine in a motion that smokers already associate with their nicotine hit.
THE BENEFITS OF SWITCHING TO VAPING
So what are the initial benefits if you switch from smoking to start vaping? Well, within the first 24 hours you will see a drop in heart rate, blood pressure and see improvements to your circulatory system, with carbon monoxide starting to leave your body after 12 hours.
Hitting that 24 hour mark will see your heart start to repair, and begin the steady decrease in risk of heart attack. Within the first month, quitters quickly begin to see an improvement of the taste and smell senses, with a noticeable improvement in physical health and lung function after 2 weeks.
The one month milestone will see the cilia in your lungs moving freely, helping to clear your airways of mucus and dirt, thereby reducing the risk of a lung related infection. From that one month marker, lung function will continue to improve, minimising wheezing and coughing as time passes, and by the time you find yourself tobacco free for a whole year, your risk of heart disease will have been cut roughly in two!
Hitting that 24 hour mark will see your heart start to repair, and begin the steady decrease in risk of heart attack. Within the first month, quitters quickly begin to see an improvement of the taste and smell senses, with a noticeable improvement in physical health and lung function after 2 weeks.
The one month milestone will see the cilia in your lungs moving freely, helping to clear your airways of mucus and dirt, thereby reducing the risk of a lung related infection. From that one month marker, lung function will continue to improve, minimising wheezing and coughing as time passes, and by the time you find yourself tobacco free for a whole year, your risk of heart disease will have been cut roughly in two!
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER SWITCHING TO E-CIGARETTES
Withdrawal symptoms are the great enemy of those switching to vaping - if they can be overcome then your chances of success are promising. These symptoms include cravings, anxiety, depression, irritability, problems maintaining focus, general moodiness and a sense of emptiness - with the first effects of nicotine withdrawal felt around 2 hours after your last nicotine hit. At the 2 hour mark, your body is free of 50% of the nicotine, reaching 97% free at around 6 hours after your last hit. Then by the 48 hour mark, your body is nicotine free - making the next 24 hours difficult as your body craves another nicotine hit.
Often the first symptoms to show are restlessness and physical cravings, followed by irritability at about 24 hours (coupled with an increase in appetite). This then leads to mild headaches and dizziness at the 48 hour mark, as your body now has almost completely rid itself of nicotine.
SELECTING A PROPER E-CIG STORE
The e-cigarette and vaping market has many options - there are several different types of vape kit on offer from a variety of brands, so what’s the difference? Why choose one brand over another if they both offer the same style unit? The devil is, as usual, in the details. Research on a brand will tell you where their liquids are made - and the standards of manufacture they are held to. At SMOKO, all of our liquids are made in the UK with pharmaceutical grade ingredients all sourced within the EU.
The strongest form of recommendation is word of mouth, so why not check out what customers are saying about the brands you are looking at? You may find written reviews in blogs, Facebook groups, and even video reviews on some of the social media platforms!
SELECTING THE RIGHT E-CIG
Which unit is right for you? That may well depend on what tobacco products you are switching from. If you smoke cigarettes, then the unit that will be the closest substitute for you would be an e-cigarette. A small cigarette look-a-like with changeable ‘filter tips’ (containing the e-liquid) that screw into the battery. Many of these have a light at the end that flares when you take a drag, delivering a visual experience similar to that of a real cigarette.
Our biggest concern, though, is the vaping experience. The mixture of liquid used determines what you feel when you vape - VG (vegetable glycerine) is smooth and produces a lot of vapour, whereas PG (propylene glycol) gives the throat hit, which many smokers look for in an e-cigarette to ‘hit the spot’.
SMOKO e-cigarettes, for example, use a 20/80 balance of VG and PG to mimic the act of smoking where you feel it in your throat, and exhale something that looks like smoke. The other end of the spectrum are units often referred to as ‘mods’ - a general term for units with refillable tanks, varying power levels and other customisation options. These units tend to favour higher VG content but lower nicotine content, because of the ability to vaporise so much liquid at once.
SMOKO e-cigarettes, for example, use a 20/80 balance of VG and PG to mimic the act of smoking where you feel it in your throat, and exhale something that looks like smoke. The other end of the spectrum are units often referred to as ‘mods’ - a general term for units with refillable tanks, varying power levels and other customisation options. These units tend to favour higher VG content but lower nicotine content, because of the ability to vaporise so much liquid at once.
So the first question to answer is: what experience are you searching for? The ‘mods’ tend to be quite expensive and require maintenance; smaller units like a typical e-cigarette are much cheaper and easier to use - just screw your refill onto your battery and you are good to go! No detailed explanation necessary, all you need to get started is a starter kit from the brand of your choice. A SMOKO e-cigarette starter kit has 2 filter tips, a USB charger, and a battery, all contained in a small metal designer case. We also have many starter kit deals, helping you make the switch with a quality product, at a great price.
LEARNING THE CORRECT WAY OF SMOKING THE E-CIG
Now you’ve got your e-cigarette, how do you use it? Yes, it is as simple as screwing in the filter and taking a drag. However, here are a few e-cig tips to improve your experience when using your e-cig.
There should be a vent of some sort - this allows air to pass into the unit when you take a drag, and closing one of these small holes can increase the density of the vapour you inhale, giving a more noticeable throat hit, and increasing the amount of vapour you exhale, which can be satisfying for a few different reasons - be careful not to cover both vents though!
There should be a vent of some sort - this allows air to pass into the unit when you take a drag, and closing one of these small holes can increase the density of the vapour you inhale, giving a more noticeable throat hit, and increasing the amount of vapour you exhale, which can be satisfying for a few different reasons - be careful not to cover both vents though!
Taking longer drags will also increase the volume of vapour, and you can always take multiple drags before inhaling for maximum effect! Holding in the vapour for a longer period may also achieve a more satisfying nicotine hit.
TRYING DIFFERENT E-CIG LIQUIDS
The great advantage of vaping is the array of flavours available - for some people it may be that finding the right flavour keeps you from reverting back to tobacco products. For others, it may be using a variety of flavours that keeps things interesting, and you away from cigarettes. From tobacco-like flavours to fruity mixtures, the diversity on offer is mind boggling!
Once you have found a flavour, the next thing to look at is the nicotine content. In the UK, the legal maximum strength is a 2% nicotine mix (20mg) so that is your starting point.
If you are a heavy smoker, the highest strength is going to be the best place to start - only if this is too much should you look at reducing the nicotine content. If, in the rare case, the 2% isn’t strong enough - use the tips mentioned above to increase the density or volume of vapour.
A light smoker may well get on with a lower nicotine content liquid, though we would still recommend starting at 2% and working your way down to a lower strength if necessary. You may see liquids on offer that contain as little as 0.3% nicotine - these liquids are for the ‘mods’ - producing monstrous clouds which therefore contain a high volume of nicotine, even if the liquid’s nicotine content isn’t high.
If you are a heavy smoker, the highest strength is going to be the best place to start - only if this is too much should you look at reducing the nicotine content. If, in the rare case, the 2% isn’t strong enough - use the tips mentioned above to increase the density or volume of vapour.
A light smoker may well get on with a lower nicotine content liquid, though we would still recommend starting at 2% and working your way down to a lower strength if necessary. You may see liquids on offer that contain as little as 0.3% nicotine - these liquids are for the ‘mods’ - producing monstrous clouds which therefore contain a high volume of nicotine, even if the liquid’s nicotine content isn’t high.
SWITCHING TO VAPING GRADUALLY
Heavy or long term smokers might consider gradually switching over to an e-cig; the initial shock of cutting out tobacco may be hard to cope with, and so encouraging yourself to use the e-cigarette (without the pressure we place on ourselves when trying to quit) may be a more comfortable transition.
Try setting challenges for yourself - like using your e-cigarette during the daytime and only allowing yourself to smoke in the afternoon - then take it further by only smoking in the evenings, pushing the hour that you let yourself have that first cigarette back gradually. Another challenge may be to alternate using the e-cigarette and tobacco products: if you have a strict smoking schedule (due to working in an office, for example) you could use your e-cigarette every 2nd smoke break - effectively halving the amount you smoke in a day.
AVOID OVERUSE/OVERVAPING
When switching from smoking to vaping, there is a danger of over-using; this is simply because vaping is a concentrated nicotine delivery system - so within a few puffs you have ingested the equivalent amount of nicotine to that found in a cigarette. Unlike a traditional cigarette, there is no natural stopping point.
As nicotine poisoning is a danger, it is important to try to and develop a routine or ‘system’ that works for you - this might be leaving your e-cigarette in another room and waiting for your craving to prompt you to go have a few puffs (just make sure to leave your e-cig in that room!) Particularly when using a flavour that you enjoy, it is easy to get carried away vaping so put it out of sight!
As nicotine poisoning is a danger, it is important to try to and develop a routine or ‘system’ that works for you - this might be leaving your e-cigarette in another room and waiting for your craving to prompt you to go have a few puffs (just make sure to leave your e-cig in that room!) Particularly when using a flavour that you enjoy, it is easy to get carried away vaping so put it out of sight!
REACHING OUT FOR HELP TO QUIT SMOKING
Do you know someone who has quit cigarettes? Do you know how they did it? Sometimes our goals can seem so far away, the obstacles too large to overcome, but by looking to people who have succeeded where we want to succeed, we can learn a lot. Not only are these people a living example that our goal can be achieved, but they might have a few words of wisdom when it comes to tackling that goal - giving up smoking is no different.
Online resources such as blogs and social media groups provide a place for a community of people who are going (or have been) through what you are currently experiencing. Discussing your own challenges, failings, and successes with others not only provides a distraction, but you never know who else you might be helping - just by sharing your own experiences! Now that is a positive thought.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Quitting smoking is psychologically demanding - and most people are not capable of being a tyrant to themselves - understanding this can help our approach to giving up tobacco. Leading psychologists suggest treating yourself ‘as someone you are responsible for helping’ - what does this mean? Hold yourself accountable, but be realistic with your goals. Don’t be too hard on yourself when you fail - assess where you went wrong and plan a way for you to do better tomorrow. You can’t force yourself, but you can bargain with yourself - set rewards for achieving your daily goals.
Keep track of your achievements day by day on a spreadsheet - yes, really! - this is a great way for you to have a visual representation of your progress that also serves as inspiration in times that you’re struggling - a reminder of what you can achieve, for those times you feel that you can’t succeed. Keep track of the money you saved by getting off the cigarettes - this can be another great way of keeping your progress up!
Keep track of your achievements day by day on a spreadsheet - yes, really! - this is a great way for you to have a visual representation of your progress that also serves as inspiration in times that you’re struggling - a reminder of what you can achieve, for those times you feel that you can’t succeed. Keep track of the money you saved by getting off the cigarettes - this can be another great way of keeping your progress up!
With all these little tips, challenges and ideas, you may even be able to enjoy the experience - after all, nothing worth doing is ever easy! Find your Local Stop Smoking Service for extra help today - and consider switching with SMOKO!
*2023 Update - Now you can try the SMOKO E-Cigarette for FREE when you purchase a box of E-Cigarette refills (1 per customer)
