Is it okay to still smoke while starting out?

I have a question for some of the more experiences users here. Last time I quit smoking, I did it with the help of patches, and managed about 6 weeks without cigarettes.

However, I never felt worse in my life. I had a constant throat infection, that I was almost permanently on antibiotics for, and I have never had a throat infection since I was 5 years old (I'm in my 50's now) so pretty sure it's not a co-incidence. I was coughing constantly, and bringing up junk from my lungs. Now I know this is a good thing, as my body needs to adjust and change, and get rid of the effects that smoking all these years have caused.

However, I really don't want to have to go through that again. My thinking is, if I swap slowly from cigarettes to vaping and switch over gradually, it may limit the negative side-effects?

Has anyone else stopped smoking in this way, and did it work?

 

I smoke cigars still. In my opinion vaping does not compare to a real cigar, while being vastly superior to cigarettes. I would say if you are smoking/vaping 50/50 then at least that's an improvement.

Bear in mind that vaping does not contain all of the chemicals found in tobacco, so you will not get the same effect from nicotine alone. One missing chemical 'harmala alkaloids' is also found in coffee, so coffee and a vape should be as satisfying as smoking tobacco.

 

Well that was my situation when I first started, and it has seemed to work out okay for me. I was able to quit, which was the ultimate goal. It did take a little longer than I had hoped and expected, but that is fine. I am guessing that many people are in the same boat out there so it is not like it is anything crazy, and it really just depends on you and your body. If it works into your plans then by all means.

 

Definitely. It's so hard to hit that hard behavioral/emotional withdrawal period and go through deprivation when you don't really need to. It's not just the nicotine, there's more stuff in cigs that will keep you wanting to puff them. Keep a couple on deck, not too close, not too far, and just vape as often as possible to kill cravings, spread the distance between each cig and eventually it will fall off and wither from your personality.

 

I have just started vaping but what I have found is that if I have cigarettes I generally will reach out for a cigarette instead of the vape. I decided to stop buying cigarettes and only vape, it's obvious that if a friend offers me a cigarette I will accept.

 

It's actually a lot more common to switch back and forth when starting out than I originally thought. So, don't feel strange for alternating. The point of vaping is to switch over completely at some point and to reduce the amount of cigarettes that you smoke down to no cigarettes at all. Don't stress yourself out. This forum is seriously the best and most supportive that I've experienced. You've come to the right place.

 

I can't quite quit smoking the odd cigarette here or there, even after 2-3 months of smoking an E-cig almost exclusively. Theres some part of my body that really desires the perfect delivery system of a cigarette. When I gave up smoking (for about 2 years) back in the 90's, it was with the assistance of the late, great Allen Carr's Easy way to give up smoking. The man was a genius, he knew exactly how to convince smokers to not only kick the habit, but also give them freedom from the psychological need to smoke. Its a wonderful book, that will help anyone who really wants to quit smoking the strength to do so. Unfortunately it only really works effectively the first time you read it. The second time you know whats coming and its not so overwhelmingly convincing. E-Cigs and vaping technology allows us addicts to limit the amount of actual tobacco we are smoking to a bare minimum nowadays. If you really have to smoke a real cigarette, or roll-up, or whatever you're smoking, then just do it, but remember that you always have a vape to fall back on, and that is the way for you to satisfy your cravings 99% of the time and you only need to fall back on actual tobacco when it gets overwhelmingly awful for you. Gradually, just like me, you will find that tobacco becomes less and less important.

 

I have been going through the forum and have found the suggestion that once you start to vape you shouldn't smoke. It makes sense because that will reduce the amount of transition time.

 

I considered balancing smoking cigarettes and my ecig, but I think it's probably not the best way to go with it. For me, I finished my last pack of cigarettes, and told myself I just have to get used to smoking an ecig.

The first few days were a little rough, but genuinely once I'd gotten used to it, I got the same nicotine rush I'd get from smoking a real cigarette. I haven't smoked a cigarette since - I even genuinely dislike the taste of cigarettes now.

 

Whatever works for you is what you should do. If you don't feel as though you can give up completely straight away then yes, I do think it's fine to smoke, so long as you're cutting down all the time, and you understand that your long term goal is to stop completely. I think that vaping is an excellent tool when it comes to being able to give up smoking, and it is one that not all that many people make the most of - so I am trying to do everything that I can to spread the word and make people understand just what a great thing it can be!

 

It's all up to you. I think the point of vaping for many people in the first place is to phase out smoking in favor of vaping completely. If you have the same goal, then give it some time. You'll get there eventually.

 

Cigarettes don't actually taste that good, it's mostly the nicotine rush that you get that makes it feel pleasant. I am still getting used to the e-cigs but I think you are right about the rush.

 

I think this all depends on your definition of "okay." I don't believe it would be the best idea since you would be taking in much more nicotine, but I don't think it will hurt you more than smoking cigarettes alone. I'd like to say you're safe, but just to make sure, it might be something to ask a doctor. I'd imagine they'd tell you to do nothing all together, but could give some sound advice on the effects of the nicotine and smoke.

 

It's definitely fine as long as you gradually lower the amount you smoke whilst increasing (or keeping the same) the amount you vape. I originally started out trying to vape alone without smoking but I couldn't do it. I'd then smoke a few a day whilst vaping a bit more each day and then I eventually stopped smoking and completely moved on to vaping. I'm not sure if this is a reliable tactic for everyone but it seemed to work for me.

 

I continued to smoke when I started vaping, just gradually decreasing the amount of cigarettes I smoked. I still enjoy a cigarillo or a cigar occasionally.

 

I pеrsоnаlly hаd quit smоking fоr twо yеаrs bеfоrе I stаrtеd vаping, аnd I usе zеrо-niсоtinе liquid dаily.

 

Good, sometimes it's difficult to get rid of the habit of smoking, it just takes one to get hooked again. It's nice to see that we have an alternative that is nicotine free.

 

It's definitely possible to smoke while you start out, but it's not really the best idea. As some others have said, if you have cigarettes on hand then you are more likely to keep reaching for them instead of your vape out of habit.

 

I think it's okay to still smoke especially if you're in the first few days and weeks of vaping. The idea here is to lessen the cigarette you're smoking until eventually you can quit completely. You can try vaping with some nicotine at first as well and gradually taper off.

I started with vaping while I was smoking as well. I smoked about a pack a day before I switched to vaping completely. When I first started, I tried halving my cigarettes and the other half would be vaping. That worked out great until I gradually and gradually limited my smoking to none.

I hope you do as well too! Good luck!

 

That is a good way to go about it, cigarettes don't only contain nicotine that is addictive. There are other products in them that are even more addictive but don' have such strong side effects. There is a transition period but once you over it, you will never look back.