Your First Day Without Vaping

Your first day without vaping can be tough. Here are five steps you can take to handle your quit day.

1. Do Not Vape

On your quit day, the most important thing is that you don’t vape—not even one hit. Having a plan for how you will deal with triggers and urges to vape can make your quit day easier. Take it one day at a time. Focus on getting through today without vaping.

Revisit your quit plan to stay focused and confident during your quit day. If you haven’t made a quit plan yet, it’s not too late. Build your personalized quit plan now.

If you smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products, now is a good time to quit those too. We know it can seem challenging to quit smoking or using other tobacco products at the same time as quitting vaping, but becoming totally tobacco free is the best thing you can do for your health. There are free tools to help you quit. Download our quitSTART app, sign up for SmokefreeTXT, or chat with an expert online using the National Cancer Institute’s LiveHelp.

2. Stay Busy

You will probably think about vaping a lot today, which is totally normal. Staying busy will help you keep your mind off vaping, withdrawal symptoms, and cravings. Try some of these activities:

  • Go for a walk, ride a bike, or do your favorite workout.
  • Make a new playlist on your favorite music app.
  • Have gum or sugar-free candy handy.
  • Keep your hands busy with a pen or toothpick, or play a game on your phone.
  • Drink lots of water.
  • Relax with deep breathing.
  • Plan a fun activity with friends and family who do not use vapes or any other tobacco products.

3. Avoid Vaping Triggers

Triggers are the people, places, things, and situations that set off your urge to vape. On your quit day, try to avoid triggers. Here are some tips to help you outsmart some common vaping triggers:

  • Throw away your vapes, e-liquid bottles, pods, and chargers.
  • Go to places where vaping isn’t allowed.
  • Stay off social media accounts that remind you of vaping.
  • Get plenty of rest and eat healthy. Feeling tired or run down can trigger you to vape.
  • Change your routine to avoid the places and things you might associate with vaping.

4. Ask for Help

You don’t have to do this alone. Tell your family and friends when your quit day is. Ask them for support on quit day and in the first few days and weeks after. They can help you get through the rough spots. Let them know exactly how they can support you. For example, ask a friend to help you celebrate your first day being vape-free.

You can also get free support from a tobacco cessation expert by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW or 1-877-44U-QUIT, or by chatting online using the National Cancer Institute’s LiveHelp chat service.

5. Reward Yourself

At the end of the day, reward yourself for being vape-free for 24 hours. You deserve it! It doesn’t have to be a big or expensive reward. Even taking extra time to do a favorite vape-free activity will make you feel good and help you be ready for day two of your quit attempt.