Let me tell you about my smoking history and some of my efforts to quit. Took up smoking at 19 due to bad depression and extreme social anxiety. I have never encountered anyone who smoked more than I did( talking genuine chain smoking here) Every year like clock work I would get a very bad cold and be sick for days. One year I said enough was enough and quit cold turkey. For the first week, I was very much like a drug addict suffering borderline psychosis and various phantom ailments, took it up again after one year and then quit again by gradually tapering down using the patch. I sustained this for 5 years by getting the odd nicotine fix through pipes and cigars( not inhaling) Last year I foolishly took smoking up again, thinking I could just enjoy the occasional cigarette- well I don't need to tell you how that worked out!
Started vaping one month ago and quit cold turkey. No withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. I started vaping at a very high nicotine level and have gradually reduced. The interesting thing is that nicotine is supposedly the main addictive substance in a cigarette , yet unlike a cigarette, I can go a whole day without vaping if necessary.
I wont lie and say vaping gives you as strong a kick as a cigarette, but it is a good enough alternative for most.