Recommendations for use of an e-cigarette
We all had to learn to smoke. It is a distant memory for some of us, but in a similar way, you need to learn how and when to use an e-cigarette. These notes give you some advice and guidance that should be helpful.
Using an e-cigarette on its own.
You can use your e-cigarette as and when you feel you are craving nicotine. Most e-cigarette users tend to “graze”, in that they use their e-cigarette more frequently than they smoked, but for a much shorter duration than smoking a whole cigarette. If you feel like you are constantly using your device, you may be more nicotine dependent than you or your Stop Smoking Service first thought.
Speak to your service about increasing the nicotine strength of your e-liquid, or consider combining your e-cigarette with NRT products to avoid an unsuccessful quit attempt. This is very important if you feel like you might relapse back to combustible cigarettes.
Combination use with NRT
If you plan to combine your efforts to quit smoking using an NRT product, such as a patch, with your e-cigarette, you can reach for your vaping device as and when you have nicotine cravings. The cravings should pass within a few minutes once you have used your e-cigarette. Going forward you can continue to use the e-cigarette as and when required.
“Vaping” technique.
Using an e-cigarette is a little different to smoking a cigarette. The harder you draw on a combustible cigarette, the more smoke you get. E-cigarettes work a little differently from this, meaning lots of people draw too hard, or for too short a time, and find vaping makes them cough. It doesn’t have to.
We recommend a “4 Step 4 Second” technique.
Step 1: Close your lips around the mouthpiece, ensuring there are no air gaps either side.
Step 2: Press the power button (if your e-cigarette has one). At the same time draw on the e-cigarette, gently, for 4 seconds, filling your mouth with vapour.
Step 3: Release the power button (if your e-cigarette has one), take the e-cigarette out of your lips, and inhale the vapour with your mouth slightly open.
Step 4: Breathe out slowly. You should not cough, and will see very little vapour come out of your mouth.
Knowing when to change your atomiser head
Atomiser heads do not last forever and need to be replaced periodically. Time in use before replacement is required is generally from a few days to several weeks, depending on power used, vaping style, and flavour and type of E-liquid. A slight burnt taste, general loss of vapour production, or a reduction in flavour intensity can all be indicators that the atomiser head requires replacement.
Too much Nicotine?
Just like smoking too many cigarettes, you can vape too much, especially if you are on higher nicotine strength e-liquid. However, it would be almost impossible to achieve an accidental nicotine overdose through using an e-cigarette. Much the same as with NRT, if you do consume more nicotine than you are used to, then you might feel a little nauseous or lightheaded, both of which pass quickly once you stop using your e-cigarette.
If this happens to you regularly, try using your e-cigarette less often. You can also reduce the level of nicotine in your e-liquid, but only do so if you are completely confident that your e-cigarette is keeping nicotine cravings well under control.
