How to quit vaping

a graphic depicting the different types of electronic cigarettes you can get.

Nicotine vaping

Nicotine vaping is much less harmful than smoking as it does not involve burning tobacco. Research by Public Health England and others indicates that e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful to your health than smoking tobacco, and vaping is medically proven to be one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking.

However, vaping is not completely harmless. We only recommend it for adults who are trying to give up smoking, to support them to do this and to stay quit.

Why should I stop vaping?

There are many reasons you may want to stop vaping. For example:

  • You would like to stop inhaling any substance.
  • You have worries about the cost of vaping.
  • You are confident in being able to stay smokefree without vaping.
  • You have concerns about the harms of vaping.
  • Family, friends or your healthcare team have advised you to stop vaping.
  • You are concerned that you are vaping more than you used to smoke.


If you’ve reached the point where you would like to quit, we have some tips to help get you started.

Tips for stopping vaping

Gradually reduce the strength of nicotine in your e-liquid

E-liquids come in different strengths. By gradually reducing the strength of the liquids you buy, you can reduce your nicotine intake over time.

If you use disposable vapes, switch to a refillable device which will allow you to reduce the nicotine strength. Note: from 1 June 2025, the UK will ban the sale of disposable vapes.

Extend the time between vaping

If you typically vape every 30 minutes, you could extend this to every hour, then every two hours, and so on.

Set rules for yourself about where you do and do not vape. For example, you might only vape outside of your home, or on breaks at work. This might not lead to a reduction in the amount of nicotine vaped, but it will break your routines, weakening the link between when you vape and specific times.

Distracting yourself will help you to extend the time you abstain from vaping. This might involve going for a walk, having a bath, making a healthy snack, keeping your hands busy, sucking on a sugar-free lollipop, drinking water or playing a game.

It’s important to remember…

  • Do not rush this process. 
  • If you started vaping as a way to quit smoking cigarettes, only reduce your vaping frequency or nicotine strength when you feel you will not go back to smoking. 
  • Vapes are less harmful than cigarettes, so if at any point you feel at risk of going back to smoking, increase your nicotine strength or vaping frequency until the feelings go away and then try again.
Selection of nicotine replacement products

Nicotine replacement therapy

Switch to a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) product and cut down your nicotine use until you are ready to stop completely

Your local pharmacy will sell several NRT products, such as patches, gums, lozenges, inhalators and a mouth spray. You may just need a single product, or – if you have moderate to high levels of nicotine dependence – a combination may work better for you, such as a patch plus a faster-acting lozenge.

Nicorette QuickMist Mouthspray can relieve and/or prevent cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms, including those caused by nicotine vaping. Ask your local chemist about the spray.

    How to dispose of vapes

    • Vapes should never be thrown away in general waste. If they are put in the bin, the batteries can become damaged, causing fires in refuse vehicles or at waste management sites.
    • If discarded outdoors, the devices break down over time, releasing polluting chemicals into the environment.
    • You can take vapes for recycling to the shop where you buy your replacements, or to your local authority household waste recycling centre. Look for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) disposal points.

    If you have stopped smoking completely, you have already achieved a huge step in protecting your health, so don't worry if it takes you a while to stop vaping, too.

    Next steps

    For further support and advice to help you quit vaping, you can speak with your GP, visit your local pharmacy or contact your local authority. Some Change Grow Live services can also offer guidance – you can check if this is available in your local area using our service finder.