What Happens When You Quit Smoking and Start Vaping

What actually happens when you switch

• 20 minutes — your heart rate and blood pressure begin to drop back toward normal
• 12 hours — carbon monoxide levels in your blood start to fall
• 48 hours — carbon monoxide is fully cleared from your body; your lungs begin clearing out mucus and debris
• 72 hours — breathing starts to feel easier as oxygen levels improve
• 1 week — your sense of smell and taste begin returning to normal
• Beyond a week — the tiny hair-like structures in your lungs (cilia) that clear mucus and debris start to heal and regrow; tar staining on teeth and fingers gradually fades

Vaping vs smoking: the key difference

Cigarettes work through combustion — burning tobacco releases thousands of chemicals, at least 70 of them known carcinogens.² Vaping doesn't burn anything; it heats a liquid (usually PG or VG, nicotine, and flavourings) into vapour. No combustion is why the chemical list is so much shorter, not any special property of e-liquid itself.

Health impact — realistic, not oversold

Current UK evidence review holds that vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, and can be an effective way for adult smokers to quit³ — but it's not risk-free. Vaping still delivers nicotine, which is addictive and raises heart rate and blood pressure short-term. This is about trading a much larger risk for a smaller one, not eliminating risk entirely.

Managing the transition

If you experience withdrawal symptoms when you first switch, or when lowering your nicotine strength, that's common and usually manageable by adjusting your nicotine level rather than pushing through it. If you're unsure what strength suits you, our customer service team can help.

FAQs

Can vaping actually help me quit smoking?

Yes — it's one of several genuine methods people use, and has been found roughly twice as effective as nicotine replacement therapies like gum or patches in a randomised clinical trial.⁴ It's also considerably cheaper than smoking — see for yourself with our Vaping Cost Calculator.

How old do you have to be to vape?

You must be 18 or older in the UK to legally buy or use vaping products.

Read more: How Old Do You Have to Be to Vape?

Will I get side effects when I first start vaping?

Some people experience mild side effects — headaches, sore throat, dry mouth — while their body adjusts.

Read more: Vaping Side Effects and How to Deal With Them

Related guides

• Reasons to Switch to Vaping
  
• How Many Cigarettes in a Vape?