It’s that time again. You’ve already hashtagged #newyearnewme over so many Instagrams of salads you barely recognise yourself. I mean, it’s three weeks into January and you’re still making the most of that gym membership you signed up for on the first, and honestly, we’re so proud to see it.

One of the most popular, and one of the hardest resolutions to stick to every year is to quit smoking for good. Kicking the habit is definitely something you should consider if you haven’t already, with evidence that smoking is directly linked to almost 90% of all lung cancer cases. But, as you and an annual 2.5 million smokers know, it’s not that easy. Although smoking cessation rates were at an all-time high in 2017, only 20% of those that vowed to stop in the first half of 2017 actually quit.

We believe in you though, and that’s gotta count for something right?

But if it’s that not enough, have you ever considered vaping?

Vapes have become Britain’s favourite method of quitting smoking, and with a much higher cessation rate than smokers attempting to quit without the aid of e-cigarettes.

If the New Years resolution you’d like to keep this year is to quit smoking, read on for our best strategies for kicking the habit with vaping.

The Stoptober Campaign in a Nutshell

If you’re unaware of the Stoptober campaign, it’s an annual campaign headed by the Public Health England office that encourages smokers to at least go for a month without smoking. As research shows that if you stop a habit for at least a month, you are more likely to quit for good. The government agency has done this campaign before, but the latest Stoptober campaign was the first time that they’d recommended vaping as a healthier alternative to smoking.

Unsurprisingly, it went well. Vape sales all over the UK shot up by at least 29%, and health officials have predicted smoking statistics will be at a record low in 2018, in part due to the prevalence of vaping.

With the government now backing vaping, we’re hoping that the industry will lose some of the unfair social stigma attached and more people will be able to utilise it to phase out of the life-threatening habit. Plus, if Leo DiCaprio can vape on a beach surrounded by supermodels, it can’t be that bad.

Mind Over Matter

If you’re thinking of quitting the cigarettes, you have to go into it knowing that this is it. No one last drag every other Monday and drunkenly scrounged rollies from the smoking area on a Saturday night. Ya dun. That’s not to say you probably won’t trip up at some point, and that’s okay, as long as you get straight back on the narrow the next day.

The point we’re making is that you need to be sure that you’re all in. And that goes for starting vaping too.

Giving up smoking is a serious investment in your health, so it makes sense that you should invest in your vape gear in a similar way. This isn’t us telling you need to buy the most premium vape gear on the market in order to quit, instead what we’re saying is that you need to do your research before you commit to buying.

There are so many ways to vape, and so many vape kits on the market, you want to make sure that you’re not making the wrong choices and ending up back on the fagas faster than you can say February.

What are vape kits? What are juices? How do vapes work? What varieties are there? Are just some of the questions you might want to find out the answers to before you start checking out your goods (hint: you can find most of them on our blog, here).

And don’t be afraid to stop by your local vape store and ask the guys behind the counter any questions. With the number of resources available both online and instore, there’s no reason why vaping should fail you.

Third Time’s The Charm, Maybe

The average smoker takes an average of 30 attempts to quit for good, so it makes sense that the same might be said for using vaping to quit smoking. Although smokers that use vape devices do have a higher cessation rate, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to quite straight off the bat. No matter how good your intentions are.

The main reason for this is that you may not understand what exactly the main driving force behind why you smoke is. If your crutch is nicotine, then vaping with a nicotine free e-liquid isn’t going to persuade you to drop the habit.

Another reason why people smoke is because they have an oral fixation. Some people with this fixation bite their lips, others chew on pencils, while others smoke. While the feeling of smoking and vaping is similar, other people find it artificial and fake. Some even stated that it felt closer to using an inhaler than smoking an actual cigarette. If you feel uncomfortable with vapes because of this reason, then try getting a vape that resembles an actual cigarette. Vapes come in all shapes and sizes, so a change in kit could be the answer to your problem.

Remember, just because it doesn’t stick, doesn’t mean you should immediately go back to smoking cigarettes. Try out different brands, and test different juices. Most of all, figure out why you liked smoking in the first place.

Mix and Match Smoking Cessation Aids

If you run into any problems while trying to quit smoking through vaping, remember that although vaping is currently one of the most recommended options for people who want to quit smoking, it is not the only one. If you feel the constant itch to go back to smoking even if you’re vaping happily, why not join a support group? Talking about your problems with people who are going through the same thing, or have even beat it, is bound to provide some additional support and inspiration.

Also, remember that going cold turkey is never good. If switching is difficult for you, start slow. If you smoke around 3-5 sticks per day, reduce it to 1-2 per day for a while as you get comfortable with vaping. Then do away with smoking altogether while using vaping kits that contain nicotine or tobacco. until you’re happily puffing nicotine free.

The number of adult smokers in the UK has been decreasing gradually over the last few years. In 2016, Cancer Research UK stated that only 8.3 million adults smoked, a massive improvement from the 10.2 million count back in 2007.

If you’ve been struggling to quit smoking for a while, or even if you’ve just decided this year is the year, there is a lot of evidence out there to suggest that you can do it, despite the inevitable road bumps. Vaping is one of the most effective ways to quit smoking, and while we may be a little biased, the NHS is not.