A vaping relapse after quitting is common and does not erase your progress. A slip is a puff or a short lapse; a relapse is drifting back into regular vaping. Either way, the fix is similar: get rid of the vape, find the trigger, and restart your quit plan today or tomorrow at the latest.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
A slip is a brief lapse during a quit attempt: a few puffs at a party or after a hard day. A relapse is when slips turn back into regular vaping. Smokefree.gov treats both as part of quitting. It says setbacks are a normal part of the process, and that many people try to quit several times before they quit for good.
How you think about a slip matters. Smokefree.gov says a slip is a temporary setback: you have not failed and you are not back to square one. As one of its quit notes puts it, ditching your quit because of a slip is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat.
Stop at the slip. Put the vape down and throw it away, along with pods and chargers. Smokefree.gov says getting rid of physical reminders helps when urges hit.
Change your setting. Leave the room or the situation. Smokefree.gov suggests switching up what you're doing or taking a quick walk.
Breathe. Breathe in slowly through your nose and out through your mouth ten times, as Smokefree.gov suggests.
Reach out. Text a supportive friend, or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or 1-877-44U-QUIT to talk with a trained counselor for free.
Write down what happened while it's fresh: when, where, who you were with and what you felt.
Count what you kept. Smokefree.gov suggests being proud of all the times you didn't reach for your vape.
Smokefree.gov groups vaping triggers into four kinds. Most slips trace back to one of them.
Social: seeing or smelling someone vape, parties, being offered a vape, drinking alcohol, seeing vapes on social media.
Everyday routines: being on your phone, waiting for a ride, drinking coffee, work breaks, driving, gaming.
Emotional: stress, loneliness, boredom, anger or sadness, and also happy moments like excitement or relief.
Withdrawal: feeling irritable or restless, trouble concentrating, waking up wanting to vape.
Smokefree.gov also warns that triggers can affect you even years after quitting, so a slip months in doesn't mean you were never really quit.
Slip review template (copy it into your notes app):
When:
Where:
Who was there:
What I was feeling:
What I'll do next time:
Example: Friday, 10 pm, at a party. A friend offered a vape after two drinks and I felt left out. Next time: say "No thanks, I quit," hold a soft drink and leave by 11. Smokefree.gov suggests keeping your answer that simple and direct.
Restart right away. Smokefree.gov says to restart quitting today or tomorrow at the latest.
Ask what worked and what didn't. What helped you stay vape-free, and what pulled you back? What will you do differently?
Upgrade your craving plan. Keep a short list of things that work for you, like a walk, slow breathing, gum or a game. Our guides to exercise for cravings and snacks for cravings can help.
Look after the basics. Smokefree.gov suggests drinking plenty of water, regular sleep and healthy snacks during withdrawal. See nicotine and sleep if nights are rough.
Lean on people. Talk to the people who supported you the first time and tell them you're in it for the long haul.
The sister site has more on nicotine withdrawal symptoms and dealing with vape cravings.
Smokefree.gov's advice on staying quit applies just as much after a slip:
Know your high-risk moments. Triggers can show up long after quitting, so plan for the ones that caught you before.
Keep a craving list handy. Write down a few things to try when an urge hits, like a walk or deep breathing, and keep it on your phone.
Take it one day at a time. A positive outlook helps you through the hard hours and days.
Celebrate progress. Treat yourself regularly. Rewards don't have to cost anything, like a hike or a movie night with a friend.
Use free expert help. The National Cancer Institute's quitline is 1-877-44U-QUIT, and its LiveHelp chat connects you with a counselor online.
If you keep slipping, talk to your doctor. Smokefree.gov notes that medicines used for quitting smoking aren't FDA-approved for quitting vaping, but a doctor can talk through whether medicine might help you. Quitlines are free.
Quitting can affect your mood. Smokefree.gov says that if you become depressed or feel extreme sadness, don't keep it to yourself: tell someone who cares about you and talk to a doctor. If you need help now in the U.S., call or text 988 for free, confidential 24-hour support.
No. Smokefree.gov says a slip doesn't put you back to square one. Your vape-free days still count.
Triggers can bring on urges even years later, according to Smokefree.gov. Cravings usually fade the longer you stay quit, and a plan helps you ride them out.
There's no set number. Smokefree.gov notes that many people try several times before they quit smoking for good, and each try teaches you something.
It usually helps. Support from friends and family makes staying quit easier, and they can only help if they know.
CraveBreaker: Quit Vaping lets you log a lapse without erasing earlier progress or your quit date, and its craving logs record the situation, intensity, what you tried and whether you vaped, with patterns shown as observations. The free craving toolkit includes a short breathing reset, a grounding exercise, a puzzle and a craving timer. It is a self-help app for adults, free with optional Premium, with no account and no ads.
Get CraveBreaker free on the App Store