How To Quit Smoking And Start Vaping Instead
If you clicked on the link to read this guide, you already made the first and most important step towards one of the biggest changes in your life: quit smoking (and start vaping instead). Remember: there’s no guide yet capable of magically doing this change for you without your willpower and total commitment. But yes, there’s a guide (ok, possibly more than one) packed with useful advices on how to switch from smoking to vaping and, luckily, it’s the guide you are reading now: A step-by-step guide on how to quit smoking and start vaping.
Smoking or vaping: what's the difference, and is vaping really healthier?
Do I really need to quit smoking and start vaping instead?
In a nutshell, no. We believe in free will and in each one of us wisdom and sense of judgement. So, if you feel happy about your smoking habit, there’s no reason for you to stop. Or, is there?
How I started vaping after years of smoking
As a matter of fact, this guide is written by an ex-smoker, and a heavy one. In all honesty, a weed-mixed-with-tobacco smoker. A couple of years ago, searching for a healthier alternative to smoking, I purchased a random entry-level electronic vaporizer, and started vaping from time to time. I was less than impressed with the results; the perception I had was that joints were hitting me faster and harder. For a smoker with a high tolerance like me, vaping felt a little bit like I was wasting my weed in a machine that was simply not efficient enough for my needs.
However, I could not help but see that there were some advantages related to vaping. At the time, the main one was that my fiancé was much happier about the fact that, when vaping, I was using strictly pure weed with no tobacco (tobacco smoke is especially annoying to non-smokers).
Purchasing my first butane vaporizer
One year passed, and inevitably the battery of my cheap-o electronic vaporizer failed. Instead of sending the thing back to the factory for a battery replacement, I decided to throw it away, and started looking for a better, more powerful vaporizer. I stumbled upon the Mighty and the Volcano, two of the best vaporizers on the market, but neither of them was exactly what I was looking for.
After further investigation, I found a community of vapers that was absolutely enthusiastic about butane vaporizers (you can check this article if you are not too sure of what butane vaporizers are). I was sold; I visited a few websites, and purchased my first butane vaporizer. It revealed itself to be one of the best purchases I’ve ever made in my entire life.
Changing from smoking to vaping: something starts to happen
The first thing I noticed when I tried my new butane-powered vaporizer was the “ritual” involved in using it. Forget the plastic, the colourful leds and the lithium battery; I was dealing with a whole new animal here. A shiny, chromed piece of stainless steel that was going to become super-hot during the heating process. It involved a certain degree of skill to be used properly. I immediately liked this.
The second thing I noticed, when hitting it, was the quality of the vapour. It was totally different from the tasty but wispy vapour I was getting from the electronic vape. It was flavourful, pure, thick and satisfying; much closer to hitting a joint than a vaporizer. After the toke, I reached the third important realization: vaporizing could get me high, very high. As a matter of fact, little less than 0.2 grams of weed got me super-high.
The final realization
The more I vaped with my butane vaporizer, the more I found myself loving vaporizing. I was still smoking joints back then, but something in me was changing. I was finding myself enjoying vaping as much as, or even more than, smoking. The purity of the flavour, the crisp, heady-high, the lack of bad smells around the house. However, there was still something that was making me go back to smoking joints quite often. What I did to finally and permanently kick the habit is what you’ll read in the section below.
10 steps (plus a bonus step) to switch from smoking joints to vaporizing pure cannabis
This is what I did to switch from smoking weed in joints to vaporizing cannabis. You’ll read it in the following paragraphs. I sincerely hope it will help you.
Step 1: Facing the addiction
If, as I used to, you are smoking weed mixed with tobacco, you are inevitably addicted to nicotine (the alkaloid in tobacco), which is one of the most powerful addictive substances known to man. It doesn’t matter if you only smoke joints, as long as you use tobacco in them, you will be addicted to nicotine. Becoming aware of this addiction is a must; that’s because you need to be aware of what exactly the first obstacle to quitting is.
Step 2: Containing the addiction
Managing an addiction to nicotine is no simple task. Luckily, you don’t have to stop cold-turkey; It’s a process that you can do step-by-step. Start, if you haven’t done it already, by switching from packed cigarettes to 100% organic, all-natural hand rolling tobacco. While still containing nicotine, hand rolling tobacco contains less additives compared to standard cigarettes.
Step 3: Reducing the amount of tobacco progressively
After making the switch from packed cigarettes to hand rolling tobacco, try to progressively reduce the amount of tobacco you use in joints. Hopefully you only smoke joints, and are not a cigarette smoker. If you are smoking cigarettes, try to substitute each and every cigarette you smoke throughout day with joints and bongs. Use CBD weed if you prefer not to be stoned.
Step 4: Trying tobacco alternatives
A few companies produce relatively safe-to-smoke, nicotine-free, herbal smoking mixes. Try using them in your joints; at first, in combination with tobacco, then alone.
Step 5: Substituting some of the joints you smoke with vaporizers
Reducing the overall amount of tobacco you use is a very good way to start losing the habit of smoking, while detoxing from nicotine at the same time. During this process, you’ll want to substitute your joints for vaporizers, at first once or twice a day, then more and more often. Think: “let me have a vaporizer instead of this joint, it’s going to be better for me after all”. Now that your nicotine addiction is contained, you’ll find yourself naturally reaching for your vaporizer more often.
Step 6: Focussing on enjoying the vapour
After a few weeks of progressive nicotine fasting, you will reach a point in which you smoke pure cannabis in joints. You should also have picked up the habit of vaping. By now you should be vaping at least four out of ten times you use weed. Every time you use your vaporizer, try to focus on appreciating the ritual and its vapour. Practice some meta cognition and analyse your thoughts. What are you experiencing? Are you liking the flavour of the vapour? Is it thick and satisfying? How does vaping compare to smoking a joint? How’s the high of vaping compared to the joint?
Step 7: Don’t panic
As a smoker, you probably have been smoking also as a way to relax. Don’t worry about giving up something that you consider beneficial to your relaxation. You’ll not transform into Mr. Hyde. This guide is not about stopping all at once everything that relaxes you; it’s about substituting a potentially unhealthy habit with another, much healthier alternative.
Step 8: Finding the balance between discipline and tolerance
Don’t be too harsh with yourself. If you feel the need to smoke a joint, go on and do it. Do it mindfully, though: while you are smoking, ask yourself how that compares to vaporizing, if it’s more rewarding, if it smells better or worse, if it feels better, and if these feelings can justify not having done a vaporizer instead.
Step 9: Giving yourself an acceptable timeline and setting a final date for quitting
While you shouldn’t be expecting to stop smoking weed and start vaping from one day to the other, you should set a reasonable timeline and track your progress. It took me approximately six months to go through the whole process, from smoking only to vaping almost exclusively. For you it could be more, or less. Take your time and don’t stress, but do set a reasonable deadline and stick to it.
Step 10: Upgrading your vaporizer from time to time
Upgrading your vaporizer by modifying it with aftermarket parts, or adding a new vaporizer to your collection, is a great way to keep the enthusiasm high. Some butane vaporizers on the market offer countless opportunities for modding; from purely aesthetic accessories to the most functional upgrades. Or, you could decide to purchase a new butane vaporizer, for example a convection hybrid like the Vapocane or a Sticky Brick model, and experience a totally different vapour quality. By staying stoked with vaping, you have less chances of relapsing into smoking.
Bonus step: Start using a water pipe, a bong or a bubbler when you vape
When it comes to cannabis consumption, water-filtrated vapour is the best you can get. Water filtration means using a bubbler, a water pipe or a bong to moisten and cool down the vapour. This is achieved by forcing the vapour to bubble through the water and flow through the glass.
Pair your vaporizer with a bong to achieve pure, thick vapour that is at the same time satisfying and gentle on your throat. Not only vapour is much healthier than smoke; if cooled down and humidified it will be extra-smooth to inhale, while maintaining all its potency.
Some of the best vaporizers available today: The famous Storz & Bickel Mighty, Plenty and Crafty
Why vaping: Benefits of vaping VS smoking
Follow the steps you’ve read in this guide, and switching from smoking to vaping will be relatively easy. You’ll soon realize that vaporizing truly brings out the best in cannabis. All its amazing properties are enhanced, without the negative aspects of inhaling the by-products of combustion. To be even more motivated, read a few of the advantages of vaping in respect to smoking in the paragraphs below.
Better lung function
The combustion process releases a whole lot of tar, a toxic substance that sticks to your lungs causing major problems. Tar contains most of the carcinogenic substances present is smoke. It also coats the lungs’ cilia, causing them to malfunction and eventually stop working. Vapour, on the other side, contains no tar, resulting in a much lower impact on your lungs. Take a look at the video below to have an idea of the impact of smoking VS vaping on the respiratory system.
Better general health
Quitting smoking causes a domino effect of health benefits that involve the whole body. Better blood circulation, better lung function, improved athletic performance, improved hormonal balance, and better nervous system health just to name a few.
Less smell
Vapour is by far less invasive than smoke. Tobacco smoke pervades everything, sticks to fabrics and hair making them smell bad, and it’s very annoying to non-smokers. Weed smoke is generally regarded by non-smokers as slightly better than tobacco smoke. Cannabis vapour, on the other side, is simply delicious.
Lower costs in the long run
Vaporizing is very efficient; thus, it will make you use less weed in the long run. And rolling papers. And filters.
More taste and more flavour than smoking
Compared to smoke, vapour contains many more terpenes. Apart from the fact that terpenes are what makes weed smell and taste so delicious, they have lots of health benefits.
More compatible with non-smokers
Vapour is not as pervasive as smoke. Most probably, you are going to be able to vape among non-smokers without them complaining too much.
Less addictive than smoking
Smoke contains many chemical substances that make it a highly addictive habit. Vapour does not. You’ll find yourself with less cravings and anxiety if you switch to 100% vaporizing.
