Swapping cigarettes for vaping is the best move most smokers make, but the first week can feel a bit fiddly if you go in blind. Here is an honest, no-nonsense guide to those first few days, from people who have helped hundreds of folk make the switch.
Start with the right kit. For a smoker, a small refillable pod kit with a 20mg nic salt is the sweet spot. It gives a tight, cigarette-like draw and a quick nicotine hit, which is exactly what you are used to. Big cloud-chasing kits look impressive but they are the wrong tool for week one.
Expect the draw to feel different. A cigarette is harsh and hot. A vape is cooler and smoother, and the throat feel is gentler. That is normal. Take slower, longer pulls rather than the short sharp drags you would take on a cigarette.
Vape when you would normally smoke, and do not ration it. The whole point in the early days is to have it there the moment a craving hits, so keep it charged and topped up. Running out of battery or liquid on day two is the most common reason people slip back.
You might cough or clear your throat a little more for a day or two as your lungs adjust, and your taste and smell will start to come back, which can make food and flavours feel stronger. All good signs.
Finding your flavour matters more than people think. The first one you grab might not be the one. If a flavour goes flat or stops hitting the spot, switch it up. Having one you genuinely enjoy is what keeps you off the cigarettes.
If something feels off, the kit, the strength or the flavour, come back in. Five minutes across the counter sorts most first-week wobbles, and we would far rather tweak your setup than see you reach for a packet.
