Vapes are a popular option to help you quit smoking because they mimic the form and function of a cigarette, they’re easy to carry around, and they can be used in social settings where you’d normally smoke.
In this article, we’ll explain which types of vapes are best for quitting smoking, and how you can pick one for your needs. We’ll go over four of our top choices, and we’ll also look at what scientific research has to say about vaping as a smoking cessation method, as well as tips for evaluating vapes for safety.
At a glance:
The Best Types of Vapes to Help You Quit Smoking
If you’re looking for a vape to help you quit smoking, you might be looking for an e-cigarette (i.e. a vaporizer containing nicotine, meant to be an electronic version of a cigarette). However, in this article, we’re primarily focusing on vapes that don’t have nicotine, for two reasons:
First, while e-cigarettes were originally invented to help people quit smoking, there’s some evidence that they don’t actually work for this purpose (more on the research later).
Second, nicotine vaporizers are among the least healthy vaporizers. Though they don’t contain tar and some of the other harmful additives of cigarettes, they have additives of their own. For instance, many of the newer e-cigarettes on the market contain nicotine salt, formed by combining a nicotine base with an acid or multiple acids.
These are also called “4th generation e-cigarettes” to distinguish them from older models, and the addition of nicotine salts may be cause for concern. A 2022 study from the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found 4th generation e-cigarettes with nicotine salts could cause more lung inflammation and immune suppression than older models.
And that’s not all. According to the CDC, nicotine salts increase the amount of available nicotine in a particular device. If you’re trying to quit smoking, you’re better off using a device with less nicotine, so as to curb your addiction to nicotine.
If you just want something to puff on while you relax, and don’t need to use nicotine, this list of other vapes is perfect for you. These options still let you relax, inhale something pleasurable, and take “smoke breaks” without the nicotine add-ins.
Alternative Vapes Are Healthier
For instance, many people find caffeine vaporizers useful for the purposes of quitting smoking, as we’ll see later on. Caffeine can give you a jolt of energy without the harmful side effects of nicotine. You can also buy flavored vaporizers that are completely drug-free, a great option for those who don’t need caffeine or any other substance to replace nicotine.
Another healthier option is cannabidiol (CBD) vape pens. Unlike nicotine, CBD is not addictive, and it may have additional benefits for the purposes of quitting smoking. Note that CBD vape pens are separate from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vape pens: Both CBD and THC come from the cannabis plant, but THC is a psychoactive drug and CBD is not.
Nicotine Vapes May Be Preferable for Some
But heavy smokers may find it difficult to give up nicotine cold turkey, in which case an e-cigarette may help. In the next section, we’ll look at a few different vape products, one of which is an e-cigarette for those who aren’t ready to give up nicotine just yet.
The Best Vapes to Quit Smoking
In this section, we’re going to look at four different vape pens in four different categories. Each category is a different type of vape pen. If you’re just here to look at e-cigarettes, you can skip to the bottom of the section, though we do recommend considering each type since you may find a nicotine-free vape pen even more helpful for the purposes of quitting smoking.
Best Caffeine Vape Pen: HELO Air
HELO Air Caffeine Diffuser (Gush) · $14.99
In the category of caffeine vape pens, there’s no better option than HELO Air. We made this vape pen in part to help people quit high-sugar energy drinks, but it turns out HELO Air can actually help people quit smoking too. Many of our customer reviews specifically mention the fact that this product helped them quit smoking.
Healthy Ingredients and Tasty Flavors
Why is this a better option than an e-cigarette? Well, not only is it nicotine-free, but the vape juice contains zero vitamin E acetate (known to cause lung damage), propylene glycol (a petroleum byproduct), nor anything else known to harm the lungs. Besides caffeine, the only ingredients are organic vegetable glycerin and natural flavors.
And speaking of flavors, we have ten options: eight that come in the original size and two more that come in the plus size. Customers often comment on how enjoyable the flavors are, and with so many to choose from, you’re sure to find at least one (or several) that you love. The best vape to quit smoking is always going to be the one that you actually use, so appealing flavors are a big advantage.
Customers Say It Helps Them Quit Smoking
To see how it can help you quit smoking, just take a look at the reviews. One customer commented that it helped her quit nicotine, and another says it helps suppress his cravings for nicotine. Yet another says she gave it to her dad to help him quit smoking cigarettes, and that he’s been clean for several weeks as of the writing of the review.
Another reviewer says he gave some of these vaporizers to his friends who used to smoke cigarettes. He claims they’ve all stopped smoking cigarettes since they’ve started using HELO Air. Many other reviewers make similar claims.
Reduces Need for Energy Drinks
Other customers specifically mention how much money they save on energy drinks. One customer says, “I have been saving so much money on caffeine because of this and it’s lasting me so long! I usually spend about $90 a month on energy drinks and coffee but with this, I get the same effect but way less and it fills the desire to vape without the nicotine!”
Another customer says, “I came across it while looking for a smoking replacement. This was a lucky find for me because I also love energy drinks and I wanted to cut back. I've been using this for about a week and haven't wanted an energy drink. The flavor is really good too. All I need is a few puffs and I feel awake and alert. I'll definitely order again.”
Customers are also happy to report that it doesn’t give them jitters or make their heart race the way many other caffeine products do, and that it can even help with anxiety. So, for anyone looking for a vaporizer to help them quit smoking, feel energized, and reduce their need for energy drinks, HELO Air is definitely worth a try.
Shop HELO Air caffeine vaporizers
Best Drug-free Vape Pen: ZERO Air
Zero – Plant Powered Aromatherapy Device (Magic Mint) · $19.99
The creators of MELO Labs have recently come out with a new product specially designed to help you quit smoking: ZERO Air. It has the same quality ingredients as HELO Air, minus caffeine. In other words, it just has organic vegetable glycerin and natural flavors. That’s it!
Healthy Ingredients and Tasty Flavors
Like HELO Air, this vaporizer contains no nicotine, no vitamin E acetate, no propylene glycol — no ingredients known to harm the lungs. And like HELO Air, it comes in a wide variety of awesome flavors, all of which are customer-approved. And it’s completely drug-free. It is the safest and tastiest vaporizer on the market.
But can it help with smoking cessation? While the product is still very new, there’s reason to believe it would work just as well as any other vaporizer for the purposes of quitting smoking, if not better. It’s not replacing the nicotine with any drugs: What you’re getting is the pure placebo effect of inhaling something tasty, and nothing chemically addictive.
May Help You Quit Smoking
Despite the fact that it’s relatively new to the market, we’re already seeing some anecdotal evidence that it can help you quit smoking, based on customer reviews.
For instance, one customer who reviewed the Magic Mint flavor said, “Amazing flavor profile that has helped me quit nicotine. I would recommend to anyone looking to quit smoking as well.”
And just like the HELO Air vapes, this won’t burn your throat at all. It’s much smoother than many nicotine vapes, which means you’ll be much more likely to actually use it.
Small, Thin, and Discrete
These vapes also have the advantage of being shaped a lot like a cigarette. Each vaporizer is small, thin, and discrete, making it easy to carry with you and have on-hand at times you’d normally smoke. You’ll notice each flavor is a different color, so you can choose a fun color if you want, or a lighter color to mimic a cigarette even more closely.
In other words, these devices are designed to mimic the physical aspect of smoking a cigarette, but they’re also fun to use! Try a few different flavors to see which one(s) you like best, and which color(s) you prefer carrying around.
So, if you’re looking for a nicotine replacement that tastes great and has essentially zero side effects, give ZERO Air a try.
Shop ZERO Air drug-free vaporizers
Best CBD Vape Pen: Avida CBD Vape Pen
Avida CBD Vape Pen (Mint) · $14.99
For those interested in trying a CBD vape pen to help them quit smoking, look no further than the Avida CBD vape pen. Apart from pharmaceutical-grade CBD isolate, these vape pens contain food-grade vegetable glycerin, food-grade propylene glycol, and natural and artificial flavors. They contain no vitamin E acetate and no nicotine.
Pleasant Feeling Without Harshness
They come in a variety of flavors, but they also have a flavorless option for those who aren’t interested in artificial flavors. Customers enjoy the flavors as well as the feeling they get from these vape pens: Many say they’re very calming and relaxing, and that they’re not harsh at all the way some e-cigarettes are.
As for their effects on smoking cessation, some reviewers comment that these can help with nicotine cravings, and that they’re great for those trying to quit smoking. Customers love the feeling they get from these CBD vapes and the fact that they contain zero nicotine.
Won’t Get You High but Avoid if Taking Drug Test
If you’re wondering whether or not these vapes will get you “high,” the answer is no. However, the company explains that they do contain trace amounts of THC — and while it’s not enough for you to feel, it may be enough to show up on a drug test. So they do not recommend using their vape pens if you know you have to take a drug test.
But if you don’t have any drug tests coming up and want to try CBD to help you quit smoking, this is the way to go. As we’ll see later on, there’s some evidence that CBD can help curb nicotine cravings.
Best Nicotine Vape Pen: Vaporesso Xros Pod
Vaporesso Xros Pod · $29.90
We know some of you are just looking for nicotine vaporizers, or e-cigarettes, so we’re including an e-cigarette on our list that’s very highly-rated by customers: the Vaporesso Xros Pod. What makes this e-cigarette stand out from others is that it comes with adjustable airflow control, meaning you can adjust how much vapor comes out and experiment with different vaping styles.
A tighter draw will be most similar to cigarette smoke, whereas a looser draw won’t require you to inhale as hard in order to get the same amount of vapor. And it’s easy to use this feature: Simply slide the knob from one end to the other. For those who are new to vaping, this is a real advantage, as it allows you to experiment to see what type of draw you prefer.
Apart from the adjustable airflow control, this vape kit is very simple to use. There are no other settings to adjust, making this an easy-to-use vape for first-timers. Customers really like how simple this vape is, and how easy it is to adjust the airflow.
This is considered one of the most effective mouth to lung (MTL) vaping devices on the market. MTL is in contrast to DTL, or direct to lung, vaping: MTL vapes produce thinner vapor that’s more difficult to inhale directly into your lungs. The vapor they produce has a consistency that’s closer to cigarette smoke than the denser vapor that comes from DTL vapes. So MTL vapes are a good choice for people who are used to smoking cigarettes.
Of course, we have to point out that this vaporizer does contain nicotine. This is an e-cigarette, so it’s supposed to contain nicotine. If your goal is to quit smoking and reduce secondhand smoke, but you’re not ready to give up nicotine, this may be the way to go.
Shop Vaporesso Xros Pod nicotine vape
Vapes for Quitting Smoking: What the Science Says
In this section, we’ll review some scientific studies on the use of e-cigarettes and CBD to aid in smoking cessation. (Unfortunately, no studies exist yet that evaluate whether or not caffeine or melatonin vaporizers can help you quit smoking — though anecdotal evidence suggests they can.) We’ll also discuss vape safety and give you our pick for the safest smoking cessation vape.
Nicotine Vapes May Make You Less Likely to Quit
A 2016 systematic review and meta analysis from The Lancet Respiratory Medicine reviewed 38 studies that assessed the effects of e-cigarettes. According to the researchers, users of e-cigarettes were actually 28% less likely to quit smoking than those who didn’t use e-cigarettes.
Specifically, the authors note that the odds of quitting smoking were no higher in studies of smoking cessation programs than in studies where people were using e-cigarettes for any reason. In short, even intentional attempts to stop smoking using e-cigarettes weren’t all that effective.
Nicotine Vapes Are No More Effective Than Other Vapes
That said, other studies have suggested e-cigarettes might be able to help some people quit smoking. A 2013 randomized, controlled trial from The Lancet sorted participants into three groups with three different types of treatments: nicotine e-cigarettes, placebo e-cigarettes, and nicotine patches.
The researchers found e-cigarettes to be about as effective at helping people quit smoking as nicotine-free vapes, and nicotine patches were also equally effective. So, while e-cigarettes were found to be “modestly effective” at helping people quit smoking, they were no more effective than nicotine-free vapes.
This study has important implications for those looking for a vape to help them quit smoking. If nicotine-free vapes can work as well as e-cigarettes for this purpose, then nicotine replacement therapy may not be necessary. It may be preferable to use a healthier, nicotine-free vape. As we’ve already seen, there are many healthier options for vaporizers than e-cigarettes.
CBD Vapes May Help You Quit Smoking
For instance, CBD vapes are healthier than nicotine vapes, in part because CBD is not an addictive drug. What’s more, some evidence suggests CBD may help you quit smoking. For example, a randomized, controlled trial from the journal Addiction found oral CBD could reduce the appeal of cigarette images and cues more than a placebo.
While the study didn’t find CBD to significantly reduce subjective cravings for tobacco, the fact that it had a meaningful effect on cigarette cues suggests CBD could be part of an effective smoking cessation program. The study used oral CBD, and not CBD vapes, but the effect of CBD vapes may be even stronger since they can mimic the act of smoking.
CBD is also known to help with relaxation and to alleviate anxiety, both of which can be beneficial for those trying to quit smoking. But as we saw above, you may want to avoid these if you have a drug test coming up — even though they won’t get you “high,” they may still have enough trace amounts of THC to make you test positive.
Vapes May Be Used as Part of a Smoking Cessation Program
So, are vapes a good way to quit smoking? The short answer is that it depends on which vape you use and how you use it. A unique article from the Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy weighs the pros and cons of using e-cigarettes to quit smoking, with two different doctors arguing the two sides.
The doctor arguing the pro side concludes (emphasis added): “In summary, a quality-controlled e-cigarette, used as part of a structured smoking cessation program, could provide an effective additional option for smokers for whom other approaches have failed.” In other words, nicotine vapes may help you quit smoking, but you’ll still be more likely to quit with additional guidance.
The same is likely true for nicotine-free vapes. While plenty of anecdotal evidence suggests caffeine vapes and melatonin vapes can help you quit smoking, you’ll be much more likely to quit if you use these in combination with other smoking cessation methods, such as therapy or an addiction support group.
Assessing Vape Safety
Vaping is certainly safer than smoking. There's generally very little debate on that point. But that doesn't mean every brand or form of vaping device is "safe."
Here are some red flags that scream steer clear …
Back in the early "e-cig" days, you could inhale some pretty nasty chemicals — like diacetyl, formaldehyde or vitamin E acetate – with every puff.
Studies by the Centers for Disease Control say that diacetyl "has been associated with severe respiratory impairment and obliterative bronchiolitis, a serious lung disease that is irreversible." This is also known as "popcorn lung," because diacetyl is sometimes used in microwave popcorn and popcorn factories because of its buttery flavor.
Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health found that formaldehyde, which is present in cigarette smoke, can also be found (and at concentrations higher than in cigarettes) in some vapes when the devices are set at the highest heat setting. Finally, vitamin E acetate is a condensing agent found in some vapes that’s also believed to directly contribute to lung disease in otherwise healthy people.
Most makers of modern vaping devices have done away with products that contain any of these chemicals. But these are still things to look out for and avoid if you spot them. The safest play is to look for products that specifically mention they do not contain those substances.
Safest "Functional" Vapes
MELO Air & HELO Air
Both MELO Air and HELO Air were conceived, designed and manufactured for safety. They contain no nicotine, no CBD, no THC and none of the "big three baddies" of diacetyl, formaldehyde or vitamin E acetate that we discussed above.
What they do have are safe, functional ingredients that serve a purpose — to either give you a boost of energy, in the case of HELO Air; or a dose of calm, in the case of MELO Air.
HELO Air is already discussed in detail above, but MELO Air should be on your list as well. Instead of caffeine, MELO Air contains soothing melatonin, a natural hormone your body produces that helps regulate sleep.
Not only is MELO Air one of the safest vapes available, but in terms of helping you quit smoking, it has the added benefit of being able to "take the edge off" and help you relax. That can be a big plus in helping you deal with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Like ZERO Air, MELO Air is available in Regular and Plus sizes (the regular size contains enough juice for 400 inhales, while the Plus size offers twice that.) MELO Air is also available in a wide variety of flavors, including Midnight Mint, Lavender Dream, Bubble Gum, Banana, Gummy Bear and Cotton Candy.
Give MELO Air a try if you see benefit in a safe vape that helps you relax.
Safest "Nothing But Flavor" Vape
Several vapes could fall into this category, but we'll stick with what you know best, and once again point you to ZERO Air. Aside from organic vegetable glycerin and natural flavors, there's absolutely nothing in ZERO Air that you could consider harmful. And, like its cousins HELO Air and MELO Air, you have a wide variety of enticing flavors to choose from.
Try MELO Labs for All Your Vaping Needs
As we’ve seen, many different types of vapes may help you quit smoking. Try CBD vapes like the Avida CBD vape pen if you’d like to stay away from nicotine but want something relaxing, or the Vaporesso Xros Pod e-cigarette if you’re not ready to give up nicotine just yet.
But if you want the healthiest and safest vapes on the market, the best options are Helo Air, ZERO Air and MELO Air. HELO Air gives you a little burst of caffeine, while ZERO Air is completely drug-free and just gives you a nice burst of flavor without any side effects.
MELO Air, meanwhile, delivers a calming dose of melatonin that might help you curb nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms. All three have clean, short ingredient lists with nothing known to harm the lungs. And they all come in a wide variety of flavors that customers love.
Try any these alternative vapes today to help you quit smoking, secure in the knowledge that you’re not inadvertently introducing harmful chemicals into your body.
Leave a comment