What Happens When You Quit Smoking and Start Vaping?

Anyone who wants to quit smoking will probably try all sorts of things. The simplest idea is to go cold turkey — but you don’t need to read expert studies to know that it’s often the least effective way.

Stopping smoking usually works best when done gradually and in smaller steps. And by this we mean first to quit smoking, eliminating the poisonous smoke, by switching to a less harmful alternative, and only then start dealing with the nicotine addiction itself. That’s exactly where vaping can make the whole transition much easier. Let’s take a look at how it works.

Understanding Nicotine Addiction

Nicotine addiction is one of the main reasons quitting smoking can feel so tough. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance found in both cigarettes and most e-liquids, and it’s what keeps people coming back for another puff. When you try to quit smoking, your body can react with withdrawal symptoms like mood swings, irritability, and intense cravings for nicotine.

This is where vaping can really help. By allowing you to control your nicotine intake, vaping helps to manage these withdrawal symptoms and gradually reduce your dependence. Understanding how nicotine affects your body — and how vaping can help you step down your nicotine use — can make your smoking cessation journey much smoother. Starter vape kits can help with that — they’re specially designed for people who’ve only used cigarettes so far and need the simplest possible way to make the switch to vaping.

Source: NHS

Vaping Is a Good Way to Quit Smoking

It’s not just us saying vaping can help you quit smoking. You’ll find the same message in the NHS’ Vaping to Quit Smoking guide. According to the data, vaping can be up to twice as effective as other methods like nicotine gum or patches. One reason is that using vape devices closely mimics the physical act of smoking. You get rid of the toxic smoke, but the familiar hand-to-mouth motion and the calming effect of the vapour remain — and that can make a big difference. Of course, there are other reasons too, but we’ll return to those later. First things first — switching from smoking to vaping is genuinely a good move for your body.

PRO TIP: You’ll find plenty of articles to help you quit smoking — whether you’re planning to switch to vaping or not — right here on our blog, in the dedicated STOP SMOKING category at the top of the page.

Why Vaping Is Less Harmful Than Smoking

Cigarettes affect almost every part of your body – from your lungs to your skin and blood vessels. The good news? Many of these effects start to reverse soon after you quit. You might think we’re exaggerating — but the truth is, the vast majority of harmful substances in cigarettes come from the smoke produced by burning tobacco. We’re talking about thousands of chemicals, many of them toxic or carcinogenic.

That’s exactly why vaping, which doesn’t involve combustion, is considered a far less harmful option. According to a well-known review by Public Health England, vaping is proven to be around 95% less harmful than smoking cigarettes.

What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Smoking and Start Vaping

Let’s keep it simple — but specific. When you stop smoking and switch to vaping, your body starts to recover relatively quickly. You stop inhaling tar and carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful substances in cigarette smoke. Your lungs begin clearing out mucus, and within just 48 hours, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood drops back to normal. Around the same time, your sense of taste and smell often begin to return.

After a few weeks, breathing gets easier. Many people notice less coughing and wheezing. According to Cancer Research UK, smokers who switched entirely to vaping had “substantially lower levels of toxic chemicals and cancer-causing substances” in their bodies than those who kept smoking. Vaping still gives you nicotine — unless you choose a nicotine-free option right away — but without hundreds of the toxic compounds that are present in cigarette smoke.

Vaping to Quit Smoking: Why It Works

As we’ve said, nicotine is addictive, and habits are hard to break. That’s precisely why vaping can be a helpful tool — it helps you manage your nicotine cravings while gradually letting go of the smoking routine. E-liquids (also called vape juices) come in different nicotine strengths so that you can control exactly how much nicotine you’re using — often without changing your favourite brand or flavour. You’ll usually find options from the strongest legal level of 20mg/ml, down through 18mg, 12mg, 9mg, 6mg, 3mg, and even nicotine-free versions. Many people start with a strength that reflects how much they used to smoke, then step it down slowly until they reach zero or stop altogether. Thanks to this, the NHS recognises vaping as an effective way to stop smoking, especially when combined with specialist support.

So, What Happens When You Quit Smoking and Start Vaping?

In simple terms: your body begins to heal, your lungs start to clear, and you take a step away from the most harmful effects of tobacco. You still get your nicotine fix — for now — but with far fewer toxic side effects. It is important to say that you’re not just replacing one habit with another. You’re switching to something less harmful and giving yourself a chance to move away from addiction altogether. Some people stay on vapes for a while. Others eventually stop using nicotine completely. Either way, it’s a positive shift. The main thing? Don’t go back to cigarettes. Vaping is not harmless, but for smokers, it’s a way forward — not back.

New to vaping and not sure which products could help you replace cigarettes? We’ve got a quick quiz to help you make the right choice: try the Smoke-Free Questionnaire.

Or simply browse the wide selection at great prices over at FREESMO.co.uk.