Vaping has long been projected as an alternative to the traditional smoke. Pegged as a less harmful substitute to the cigarette, vape companies have made a fortune branding the product as the ideal thing for you if you want to quit smoking.

However, over time people have come to realise that vaping in itself is addictive and rarely help one gets over their smoking habit. The vape itself contains nicotine and vaping only fosters your nicotine addiction, rather than curbing it.

The more you vape, the more your brain and body get used to having nicotine, and the harder it is to go without it. When you go without vaping, the nicotine level in your bloodstream drops, which may cause unpleasant feelings, physical symptoms, and strong urges to vape.

So how hard it is to quit vaping and what do people experience if they try to quit it?

#MillennialsSpeak

“I first started vaping to get rid of my smoking habit. But over time I actually realised that I was doing it way more than I used to smoke. The thing with a vape is that it’s easier to do. You always have it with you and it’s easier to take a drag of a vape in a public place than light up a cigarette. I think that’s what makes it difficult to get rid off.”

--- Hrihaan

“I’ve never smoked a cigarette. I tried a vape because out of curiosity and how it was projected to be a safer alternative. But I’ve just gotten addicted to it now. You get various flavours which ultimately gets you hooked at the start. After you do it for some time, the nicotine addiction takes over, and then you just find yourself doing it more often than not.

--- Nilesh

"I’ve tried quitting smoking a couple of times. I’ve also tried quitting vaping a couple of times. The process and withdrawal are essentially the same because you’re basically addicted to nicotine. So I can't really explain why is it difficult to quit. But once you start trying after a while you start sweating more, getting irritated and it’s like your mind stop working, which eventually makes you want to light up a smoke.”

--- Riddhi