Recently I have been reading reams of research on quitting smoking and it highlighted to me that many quitters are actually failing due to their inclination to attempt the hardest feat – quitting nicotine entirely. A possible strategy is to find a middle ground: quit tobacco but find a replacement that reduces the collateral damage that the nicotine delivery system creates.
Smokers can quit nicotine entirely, that is, quit smoking and not use any other type of nicotine. Alternatively they can get nicotine from a much less harmful source. Quitting entirely is the healthier option for most people. This is because nicotine itself may slightly increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, though not nearly as much as smoking does. But switching to a highly-reduced-risk nicotine product is almost as good as quitting entirely. Because the longer you smoke the worse it is for you, switching now may be better than quitting later.
You are probably aware of the many programs, drugs, and therapies available to help smokers quit entirely. We sincerely hope that if you are a smoker and elect to quit entirely, that you are successful. But if you are reading this, it is likely that you or someone you know has tried to quit and failed, or wants to continue using nicotine but wants to reduce the risk.
In summary you need to balance the chance you will be able to quit entirely (desirable but less realistic) vs. the benefits of finding an alternative to cigarettes (less desirable, but very realistic). TheMagicMist reminds you that nicotine – even in electronic cigarettes are an addiction. Smoking is slavery and not a sign of freedom. This is not freedom.