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Your Choice, Your Pace. Wherever you’re at with vaping, support is here

Vaping is more common in LGBTQ+ communities than in the general Australian population, influenced by a number of factors.

While vaping may be seen as less harmful than smoking, it’s still addictive and risky. It’s important we understand that risk.

We can quit

Everyone’s journey with quitting vaping is different. When you choose to quit, you’re doing something genuinely good for yourself.

Who knows? This time, your quit attempt could be the one that sticks!

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What's really in that vape?

Before we really get into how to quit and why it will improve your life, let’s first check out what’s inside a vape.

 

Prescribed and Illicit Vapes

Not all vapes are the same, there’s ‘prescribed’ and ‘illicit’ vapes.

Prescribed vapes are regulated under Australia’s therapeutic goods framework with the aim to aid people to quit smoking or manage nicotine dependence. They can only be supplied with a doctor’s prescription by participating pharmacies.

Illicit vapes however, are sold by vape shops, convenience stores, tobacconists, and other non-pharmacy retailers operating outside the law or regulation.

We’ll mostly be talking about illicit vapes here. Since they’re unregulated, they contain ingredients that have not been approved for use.

 

So, what’s in them?

Sure, vapes may feel cleaner than cigarettes because they don’t contain tobacco, but they are not a healthy alternative and carry risks for your health.

Many vapes contain high levels of nicotine, heavy metals, and flavouring chemicals. And coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness aren’t signs of a harmless product.

For more info on what’s in vapes, check out this report.

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Why should I quit vaping?

There are tons of reasons to quit vaping!

Let’s run through a few:

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Ready to make the choice to quit vaping?

Considering quitting?

Wait a sec, a plan can help a lot!

Think about what your vaping habits look like and what situations might make it harder to stop.

It may be useful to:

  • Notice your triggers (stress, routines, certain social situations)
  • Think about when you feel most ready to make a change
  • Know what support/strategies to use along the way if you need

There’s really no perfect time to quit but being prepared can make the process way easier.

Let’s look at some support options that can help you along your quit journey:

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How can I quit vaping?

Your journey to quit vaping is your own.

There’s no single ‘right’ way to quit vaping. What works best depends on you!

 

Support can make a big difference, and leaning on support can help you even further in your journey.

Apps, medication, professional help – different methods work in different situations. Let’s find what could help you the most:

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How prevalent is vaping in LGB communities?

Research shows that LGB communities have higher rates of vaping than the general population.

This is linked to factors like minority stress, stigma, gender and sexual expression, and targeted tobacco marketing.

Dual use of both vaping and smoking

Some people use both cigarettes and vapes. This is called dual use and can make nicotine dependence harder to break.

The rates of dual use has increased in recent years.

This behaviour could stem from smokers who start vaping with the hope of quitting smoking, but this often ends up with them adding vaping on top of their smoking.

Dual use of smoking and vaping is higher in LGB communities than in the general population, and it can affect both physical and mental health. That’s why getting support is so important.

If you are both smoking and vaping, speak to a NSW Quitline counsellor.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Vape free, still fierce

Replacing the action of vaping with something else can be a great distractor. There are tons of things you can do to keep your fingers busy!

Although this video was made for smoking, the techniques also apply for breaking the vaping habit.