I quit vapes overnight after doing 1 thing as disposable e-cigarettes banned

A UK-wide ban on disposable vapes comes into force on Sunday, June 1, when it will become illegal to sell single-use e-cigarettes. While reusable vaping products will remain on our shelves, the ban is expected to provide an incentive for many vapers to quit — something I managed to do after three years of addiction to the colourful sticks.

Never in my wildest dreams did I envisage battling a nicotine addiction in my thirties. I was never a heavy smoker; it was a habit I acquired at university and discarded just as swiftly. Yet vaping presented an entirely different challenge. It turned out that I was inhaling the equivalent of 100 cigarettes per week through vaping.

Like any addiction, the habit stealthily took hold — initially, it was merely a few drags during social outings or post-dinner relaxation. Before long, I found myself reliant on disposable vapes such as Juul and Lost Mary, never venturing out without one.

Boredom soon became a justification for vaping. In no time, I was vaping from sunrise to sunset. I vaped at home, at my desk, while watching telly — I even vaped in bed.

It all seemed innocuous until the side effects surfaced: perpetual dry mouth, headaches, shortness of breath, and mental fog. I recognised the need to quit, but I was clueless about how to start.

A Lost Mary BM600 disposable vape, available in a plethora of fruit flavours, is roughly equivalent to 20 cigarettes. This is due to its 20mg nicotine content.

At my worst, I was consuming five a week. This means that I was drawing 100mg of nicotine into my system, equating to 100 cigarettes.

However, the maximum legal nicotine level in the UK for these devices is 40mg of nicotine, which is dispensed over 500 to 600 puffs.

The NHS has indicated that whilst vaping is less harmful than traditional smoking, it’s not risk-free. The long-term impacts of e-cigarettes remain unclear, but they have been associated with lung damage, causing inflammation and tissue harm which can lead to chronic coughing, breathlessness and other respiratory issues.

The NHS also alerts to additional side effects such as dry mouth and throat, irritation, headaches, and dizziness. Nicotine, a key ingredient in e-cigarettes, is a highly addictive substance that can result in withdrawal symptoms when attempting to quit.

Moreover, e-cigarettes pose a significant environmental hazard due to their composition of plastic, copper, rubber and a lithium-ion battery, all of which can take decades to decompose.

Despite numerous attempts to quit, including gradually reducing usage, chewing gum, and leaving my vape by the front door, I always found myself returning to it.

I would rationalise it by telling myself that at least I wasn’t smoking cigarettes, but deep down, I knew I was still addicted. Then, one day, I came across a book that changed my outlook: Dopamine Nation: Why our Addiction to Pleasure is Causing us Pain by Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist and addiction specialist at Stanford University.

Although her expertise is primarily in the US opioid crisis, she has explored various forms of addiction, ranging from shopping and food to social media and sex. Dr Lembke asserts that addiction isn’t solely about the substance itself, but rather the brain’s reward system.

Nicotine delivers an instant dopamine rush, bringing a fleeting sense of pleasure.

The initial pleasurable buzz nicotine provides quickly fades, leaving a user in the throes of discomfort, irritability, and anxiousness. This cruel cycle is driven by an increasing dependence on nicotine just to feel ‘normal’, with changes to brain pathways crucial for learning, stress handling, and self-regulation making kicking the habit seem insurmountable.

For me, the realisation that my constant chase for that satisfying hit from my vape was actually causing more harm than good came as an epiphany. After pouring over a life-changing book, my mindset shifted dramatically, empowering me to give up vaping for good.

Those first 48 hours without vaping were hellish; I was overwhelmed by an intense craving for dopamine, exhaustion crept in, and I became moody and emotionally drained, pining for my favourite juicy peach-flavoured Lost Mary. Nonetheless, on the fifth day, there was a distinct change — the haze in my mind lifted, my energy rebounded, and it hit me that I had been enshrouded in a nicotine mist for ages.

Quitting was anything but easy, yet understanding the science behind addiction was crucial. By recognising that my vaping was nothing more than cycles of short-lived delight followed by discontent, it reshaped how I viewed other indulgences, such as alcohol and sugar.

Having now quashed the “nicotine noise”, I proudly mark one month of being vape-free. Here are some key revelations gleaned from ‘Dopamine Nation’ that sparked this transformation:

1. Reduce temptations

Dr Lembke advises eliminating triggers that encourage addictive behaviours. For me, this involved discarding all my vapes and steering clear of locations where I used to smoke.

2. Embrace discomfort

I would take deep breaths, go for walks, drink water, or treat myself to a sweet delight like a piece of chocolate to fend off the cravings. At first, it was agonising, but over time, the cravings diminished in intensity.

3. Choose abstinence

I decided to quit outright – no nicotine substitutes, no gradual reduction. Just a total reset.

4. Prosocial shame

Prosocial shame is the idea that people should recognise others’ failings and forgive them, rather than exclude them. It’s based on the belief that everyone makes mistakes.

Instead of hiding my struggle, I let my friends and family know that I was quitting. The awareness that others were watching and supporting me helped keep me accountable.

If you’re struggling to quit, I highly recommend reading this book, which is available for £9.55 on Amazon. It could be the key to helping you quit overnight, too. The NHS also has some useful tips on how to give up vaping.