Vaping Stories: How I Quit Smoking with My First Vape

Quitting smoking felt like trying to run through mud—frustrating, exhausting, and downright impossible at times. I had tried the gum, the patches, and even apps that buzzed motivational quotes at me. Nothing stuck. That was, until I picked up my first vape. What started as a last-ditch effort turned into the beginning of something life-changing. This is my story—one that I hope gives others a bit of hope if they’re stuck in the same loop I was.

The Struggles of Quitting Smoking

Lighting up was part of my daily routine. It wasn’t just about the nicotine—it was the habits, the rituals, the breaks at work, the social side of it. Like many smokers, I told myself I could quit anytime. But then I’d go a few hours without a cigarette and feel like I was crawling out of my own skin. The withdrawal wasn’t just physical—it was emotional.

Every attempt to quit ended the same: cold turkey led to spirals of irritability and binge-eating, while patches didn’t really feel like they did anything at all. I remember standing outside in the rain one day, lighting a cigarette I had promised myself I wouldn’t smoke. That was my breaking point.

Finding the Right Vape

It was a friend who introduced me to vaping. He had quit smoking a year earlier and swore by it. I was skeptical. Honestly, I thought vaping was just a trend or something people did to look cool. But I was desperate.

I walked into a local vape store that day feeling like a total beginner. I told the guy at the counter that I wanted something easy, something that wouldn’t require me to learn coils or rebuild anything. He recommended a small disposable device, something with nicotine salts—he explained it would feel more like smoking because of the throat hit.

My first vape was the Raz DC25000. It was sleek, easy to use, and pre-filled with a flavor called Blue Razz Ice. I took one puff and I’ll be honest—it didn’t hit exactly like a cigarette, but it was close enough. And it tasted way better. The act of inhaling, the hand-to-mouth motion, and even the cloud felt satisfying.

That first week, I still smoked a few cigarettes. But instead of a pack a day, I was down to 4-5. Then two. Then none. By week three, I didn’t even crave a cigarette anymore.

Tips That Helped Me Transition:

Start with the right nicotine strength – Too low and you’ll feel unsatisfied, too high and you might get dizzy. I started at 50mg nicotine salts.
Choose a flavor you love – Tobacco-flavored vapes didn’t do it for me. Fruity flavors helped break the mental link to cigarettes.
Keep your vape charged and accessible – Nothing worse than wanting a puff and finding your vape dead.

Product Rating from Us

After trying a few different models, I found myself always going back to the Raz DC25000. Here's a quick breakdown of why I rate it so highly:

Design: Compact, clean, and easy to carry. It didn’t feel like a toy.
Performance: Smooth draw, consistent vapor, and satisfying nicotine delivery.
Battery life: This device lasts for days without needing a recharge.
Flavor: The flavor is bold and doesn’t fade, even toward the end of the device’s life.
Puff count: 25,000 puffs meant I wasn’t constantly replacing devices or worrying about running out.

If you're someone looking for a similar experience, check out trusted reviews on sites like Vaping360 or EcigaretteReviewed before making a decision.

Life After Smoking

I won’t say vaping made everything magically perfect, but it made quitting cigarettes possible. My sense of taste came back. I could walk up a flight of stairs without wheezing. My clothes didn’t reek of smoke anymore. Friends and family noticed the change almost immediately.

What really surprised me was the mental shift. For so long, cigarettes were a crutch, a way to handle stress. But vaping gave me that same hand-to-mouth routine while gradually helping me drop the deeper addiction. Now, I’m using lower nicotine strength vapes and considering zero-nicotine options.

I even got a few friends to try quitting the same way. One of them went for a Geek Bar Pulse and hasn’t touched a cigarette in over 6 months.

Vaping as a Smoking Cessation Tool

While it’s not officially endorsed by every health organization, some regions have started supporting vaping as a safer alternative to smoking. According to the UK’s NHS, e-cigarettes are “substantially less harmful than smoking” and are being integrated into cessation programs across the country.

Final Thoughts

Quitting smoking is deeply personal. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. For me, vaping was the bridge I needed to cross into a smoke-free life. It wasn’t instant, but it was effective. I’ll never forget the relief I felt realizing I hadn’t smoked in a month—then two, then three.

If you’re considering making the switch, give it a shot. Start small, experiment with flavors, find what works for you. It might just change your life like it changed mine.