You have read Aria's position on vaping (and if not, go read it first). You are an adult smoker, you want to quit, you are considering vaping as a tool. This guide tells you concretely how to go about it.

No filler: hardware, dose, technique, plan of attack, traps to avoid. Let's go.

Who this guide is for

The right mindset before starting

Vaping is not a hobby. It is a therapeutic tool you use for a limited time to leave the cigarette. It is not a swap either: "cigarette for vape". The end goal stays zero nicotine, eventually — but the zero-cigarette goal always comes first.

Step 1: pick the right hardware

Step 2: nicotine salts or classic nicotine?

This is the most misunderstood question. Here is the difference.

Step 3: find YOUR dose

Step 4: choose a flavour that works

The flavour is not a detail: it is what pulls you out of the cigarette imagery. Four families to explore:

• Tobacco ('classic') — for those who want a very gradual transition. But it may keep the 'I'm smoking' reflex going.

• Mint / fresh — often recommended to break the habit (different sensation that breaks the gesture).

• Fruity — wide range, pleasant, fully breaks the cigarette identification.

• Gourmand (vanilla, coffee, dessert) — for the reward seekers, but can become sickly in big volumes.

• Cinnamon — this is the flavour most under suspicion about its safety.

Step 5: the puff technique

1. 1

   Tight draw (MTL)

   reproduce the cigarette feel. No big clouds.

2. 2

   Small puffs of 2 to 4 seconds, not a long pull like a shisha.

3. 3

   Vape often during the day rather than a lot at once.

4. 4

   No direct lung inhalation (that would be DTL, not suitable).

5. 5

   Always keep e-liquid in the coil

   vaping 'dry' burns the wick that keeps the coil moist, and tastes awful.

The 4-phase plan

1. Phase 1 — Transition (weeks 1-2) you vape AND you smoke. No problem. You learn your hardware, your dose, your flavour. Vape as much as you want, no guilt.
2. Phase 2 — Cigarette quit (weeks 2-8) pick a cigarette quit date in the 2nd or 3rd week. From there, not a single cigarette. Vape freely to handle cravings. If you crack on a cigarette: not a drama, but pick the vape back up immediately — hold the puff for more than 2 seconds before exhaling, at 20 mg/ml. Pamper your vape and keep a spare: a hardware 'failure' is a frequent cause of relapse.
3. Phase 3 — Stabilisation (months 2-6) you no longer smoke. You vape at your dose. You can now gradually reduce the mg/ml — by steps of 3-4 mg/ml every 4-6 weeks.
4. Phase 4 — Vape weaning (optional, months 6-12+) if you also want to wean off the vape, go down to 0 mg/ml. Many keep an occasional use of nicotine-free e-liquid for the gesture, with no recognised danger at this stage — but for boozy nights, a 3-6 mg/ml is preferable.

Traps to avoid

What it costs

Your questions