10 Tips On Vaping for Heavy Smokers

by Peter lam August 13, 2021

If you are new to the vaping game, first of all, let me welcome you to a completely new and fun way of consuming nicotine.

You did it — you made the first step towards becoming tobacco-free!

Give yourself a pat on the back.

And, if you are still considering the switch and still have not bought into the whole vaping extravaganza, I’ll do my best to convince you that getting a vape device would be your best decision.

Even if you’re a heavy smoker. Especially if you’re a heavy smoker!

Heavy smokers are usually quite recognizable when they are near you. I was once a heavy smoker — we smell awful. Cigarette smoke gets into everything. And the cough? Don’t get me started on the cough.

Vaping will change that, even though you now might be thinking that it won’t. That you will slip up. That you won’t be able to stick with it.

10 Things That Will Help You Stick With Vaping [Heavy Smokers Edition]

#1 Get a Solid Vape Device
I’ll start with something super important — avoid cigalikes! You know, those little vapes that look like cigarettes? If you’re a heavy smoker, these won’t help you — you’ll just end up spending money and getting frustrated.

Get yourself a solid third-generation vape device that can keep up with your need for nicotine.

Here are a few things that you need to keep an eye on:

·Battery life — as a heavy smoker you will want to have your device up and running throughout the whole day, right? Picking one with a rechargeable battery will come in handy, especially because you can carry several batteries with you in case the first one dies.

·Adjustable airflow — okay, this one maybe does not make sense to you right now, but it will soon enough. The airflow dictated how strong you need to pull on your mouthpiece before any vapor enters your lungs. At first, you might end up with completely closed or only slightly opened airflow because this way you will simulate the same pulling style you had when smoking.

·Mouth-to-lung and direct-to-lung — these are two styles of vaping. If you think about it, the name says it all. If you want to simulate cigarette pulling style then MTL is your way to start things off. As time goes by people naturally lean to DTL, but it is not something that you need to do. Later on, pick whatever makes you happy. In the beginning, stick with M2L because it will make the transition easier.

·Nicotine delivery — look for something strong. Remember, as a starting point we want to simulate cigarette consumption the best way we can before making the 100% transition. Most of the e-liquids are adjustable and you will be able to amp up the nicotine inside them, but if you are looking for that rush you got when smoking then I advise on nicotine salts. Delivery is straightforward and you will enjoy it much more.

#2 Satisfying Yet Easy to Use
You’ve been going through your cigarette packs fast, and easy. And the last thing you want to do is complicate things.

No worries, you will want something that will cover the switch to vaping yet be easy to use. Yes, having a nice and expensive device can be cool, but if you don’t know how to use it or simply you won’t be bothered by it, look for something nice and simple.

#3 Explore New Flavors

At first, you will probably want to keep things simple and something that you’re used to. Going for the tobacco flavor is not something uncommon, and to be honest I still keep at least one or two bottles with me in case I get tired of all sweet and fluffy flavors.

As you progress in your transition, I do recommend changing this from time to time. You will notice that you get used to one flavor and as if you become immune to it. You can’t taste it anymore. Not to worry, that’s normal.

The best practice would be to have three favorite flavors and to rotate between them.

#4 Stay Consistent
To start on this journey it’s already a feat you should be proud of yourself. Sometimes, staying on the course can be difficult, but being consistent will speed up the process and you will reach your goals sooner.

Be aware of your shortcomings and address them. There is no point in denying that you crave a quick cig instead of vaping. Sometimes flavors can become dull, too sugary or fruity. And that is completely okay.

Your best weapon against that is the end goal. Make a list inside your head that will help you name all the benefits of doing the switch.

#5 Surround Yourself With Supporting Crowd With The Similar Goal

If you are constantly on a ledge of going back to cigarettes, I suggest surrounding yourself with people that will support you when things get tough or you can find a group of people that share your story and are in the same process as you.

This is common practice in all areas of life, and there’s a name for it — accountability group.

This group can be IRL or virtual. If you’re having a tough time finding someone who vapes in your local area, turn to the Internet. There are plenty of support groups, forum boards, and subreddits where people cheer each other on and provide validation.

#6 Keep an Eye On Your Nicotine Levels
This is something I mentioned earlier.

You will need to adjust your nicotine doses quite often at the beginning. It might sound bothersome at first, but once you find your perfect ratio you will quickly forget all your troubles.

The best tip I could give you is to ask your local e-liquid vendor.

Believe me, you are not the first nor last that will ask for help regarding dosages. They probably know this better than anyone. So keep in mind that information about how much you smoked before vaping will come in handy. For your own sake, try to be as precise as you can be.

#7 Don’t Be Hard On Yourself if You Slip Up
You might’ve heard this and that about vaping and how easy it is to switch from smoking. Usually, these stories come from people who smoked maybe a few cigarettes a day and switched to vaping because they didn’t like the taste of it.
But where are the stories of how to start vaping if you’re a heavy smoker?

The process is hard as it is, so many new things you need to change and take into consideration. Nic-shots, nicotine salts, devices, inhale styles, etc. Even reading this you might want to pull one cig out and light it up. And that is okay — Rome wasn’t built in a day.

It’s not the end of the world if you find yourself without your device and you borrow one cigarette. Of course, slips like that are ok if they happen once or twice per month, not per day.

#8 Change Your Mindset & Style – Be a New Vaper, Not an Old Smoker'

At first, this might not be so big of a deal but it can turn the tide quite easily. The most common issue heavy smokers and vaping have is the style of puffing.
It sounds silly, I know, but hear me out. When you were pulling harder on a cigarette you were creating more smoke, right? You felt that specific resistance, right?

Well, vaping does not work like that. Your device will need time to produce the vapor you’re about to inhale. The best technique would be to have long, slow and consistent pulls. You might end up coughing at first until you figure everything out, but once you get a hang of it, you will forget that you ever smoked.

#9 Work On Your Best Combo [VG/PG Ratios, Liquids, Salts]
You will notice that there is a lot of stuff you need to consider when preparing your perfect vape mix. When I talk about heavy smokers and vaping I usually end up recommending nicotine salts. The reason behind that is, unlike freebase nicotine liquid, salts have a better kick, absorption is faster and you can enjoy using them even at higher numbers.

Even though nicotine liquid has its advantages and whoever wishes to quit will eventually use them, salts are something you want to use to be sure you will be satisfied without the cigarettes.

However, I do encourage you to try everything. Play around with your base ratios, flavors, salts and liquids. The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t like that specific mix and you can give it to someone that will like it.

What Can the Kind Pen Do For You On The Journey
I know, it’s nice and easy to talk about it and to know everything in theory. But where to start is the challenge.

So, to resolve at least initial question marks above your head, here is one vape device I would highly recommend when talking about vaping for heavy smokers.

Starting vaping if you’re a heavy smoker was never easier. Check our prime selection of vape devices. We designed them to fit every style and budget. Great beginner devices that will come in handy even once you become an experienced vaper. They are easy to use and portable.

FROM a Heavy Smoker to a Vaper — You Can Do It
Look, I’d be lying if I said that your move from chain smoking to vaping will be an easy one.

I can throw all the heavy smoker vape tips at you, and you’ll probably still struggle.

That’s the name of the game — you’ve built your smoking habit for years [or decades]. You won’t break it in a few days.

That said… don’t get discouraged by small hiccups.

Every person has their tempo and there is no expected timeframe in which you need to make the switch. Vaping for heavy smokers can be a challenging task but don’t be hard on yourself.

Some people made the switch within one day, and some people struggled for years until they were fully on vaping. Even if you partially replace cigarettes with vaping, you’re still reducing the harm from smoking.

Never. Give. Up. Trying!