While your article on e-cigarettes states that “going cold turkey is not recommended when giving up vaping” (No need to rush’: How to give up vaping, 23 June), that’s exactly how most people succeed.
A poll last month on a Reddit “quit vaping” support group asked members what method they had used if they had quit vaping and remained nicotine-free for at least three months. Of the poll’s 172 responses, 50.6% selected “cold turkey (abrupt nicotine cessation)”. Interestingly, just 8.7% selected “gradual nicotine weaning” and 13.4% selected “nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine patch, gum, lozenge, spray or inhaler)”.
While your addiction suggests gradual stepped-down nicotine weaning, your instincts suggest cold turkey – 100% nicotine-free and beyond peak withdrawal within 72 hours. Trust your instincts.
And remember, while one puff would be too many and thousands not enough, it’s impossible to fail so long as all nicotine remains on the outside.
John R Polito
Nicotine cessation educator, Goose Creek, South Carolina, US
• Recent articles on vaping have suggested again that there is not enough knowledge regarding the long-term effects of the habit, and this is especially true in relation to illegal disposable vapes (Millions of illegal vapes seized in UK in three years, data shows, 23 June). But there is good evidence that many non-vapers exposed to passive vaping suffer symptoms including sore throats, coughs, breathlessness and headaches.
Because there is no ban on vaping in enclosed spaces, as there is for smoking, many vapers believe they aren’t doing anyone else harm. But there are many individuals like me who have to leave as soon as someone vapes because of the chronic headaches it causes.
It would therefore be a proportionate preventive measure to ban vaping in enclosed spaces, as recommended by the World Health Organization. A ban such as this would send a clear message that there are potential harms from vaping, while also protecting non-vapers from the short-term, and potential long-term, effects of the habit.
Mark Holman-Lisney
Tadley, Hampshire
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