Quitting E-cigarettes (Vapes, Vape Pens)
Most experts agree more research is needed about the best ways to quit e-cigarettes (also known as vaping or vape pens). But in many ways, quitting e-cigarettes is a lot like quitting other tobacco products.
What is the best way to quit e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes don't contain tobacco, but many of them contain nicotine. (Nicotine is the addictive part of tobacco.) Even though they don't contain tobacco, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies e-cigarettes as "tobacco products" because the nicotine in them usually comes from tobacco.
Quitting e-cigarettes is a lot like quitting any other tobacco product that contains nicotine. This is because the physical, mental, and emotional parts of quitting are mostly caused by nicotine addiction.
Many of the ways to handle the mental hurdles of quitting are the same, no matter which product you’re trying to quit. But most experts agree more research is needed about the best ways to quit e-cigarettes.
Is quitting e-cigarettes easier than quitting other tobacco products?
Quitting e-cigarettes is most likely as difficult as quitting other tobacco products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using one of the ways already known to help people quit other tobacco products.
Learn more about these methods:
Get help quitting e-cigarettes
If you’re having trouble quitting e-cigarettes on your own, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. You can also get help from other support services:
- Your state Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW)
- The American Cancer Society (1-800-ACS-2345)
Can e-cigarettes be used to help quit smoking?
Some people choose to try e-cigarettes to help them stop smoking. But studies have not proven that e-cigarettes are more effective than other available methods for helping people quit tobacco products.
Some studies suggest that people who use e-cigarettes to quit smoking continue to have nicotine addiction. This makes it harder to then stop using e-cigarettes. Some people may end up using both e-cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The American Cancer Society does not recommend the use of e-cigarettes as a method to quit other tobacco products. No e-cigarette has been approved by the FDA as a safe and effective cessation product. And the safety of long-term e-cigarette use hasn’t been proven.
People who switch to e-cigarettes when trying to quit other tobacco products are still at risk of serious health problems. To reduce health risks and avoid staying addicted to nicotine, it’s best to stop using all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, as soon as possible.
Learn more
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- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
This content has been developed by the American Cancer Society in collaboration with the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center to help people who want to learn about quitting tobacco.
American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society Position Statement on Electronic Cigarettes. Accessed at https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/e-cigarette-position-statement.html on August 29, 2024.
Banks E, Yazidjoglou A, Brown S, et al. Electronic cigarettes and health outcomes: umbrella and systematic review of the global evidence. Med J Aust. 2023; 218(6): 267-275.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Protecting Youth From the Harms of Vaping. Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/protecting-youth.html on August 29, 2024.
Gotts JE, Jordt SE, McConnell R, Tarran R. What are the respiratory effects of e-cigarettes? BMJ. 2019; 366: l5275.
Lindson N, Butler AR, McRobbie H, et al. Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2024;1(1):CD010216. Published 2024 Jan 8.
Last Revised: October 28, 2024
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