Does vaping without nicotine help you quit smoking?

Are nicotine-free vapes an effective way to quit smoking cigarettes? The latest Cochrane review* concludes that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes increase the likelihood of successfully quitting smoking.

According to studies, only 4% of all smokers managed to quit cigarettes without any aids. With nicotine-free vapes as a support, the success rate increases by 50%, and with nicotine-containing vapes, it more than doubles.

In this Shisha Heaven guide, we’ll share our experiences with nicotine-free vaping and recommend products that were especially helpful to us when we quit smoking. Let’s go!

Can nicotine-free vapes help you quit cigarettes?

The Cochrane review shows that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are the most effective way to help you quit smoking. However, this often leads to a shift in addiction from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, and the craving for nicotine remains, even though you’re causing less harm to your health.

It's a completely different story if you use nicotine-free vapes to quit smoking.

1. Many former smokers report that even nicotine-free vapes reduce the craving for a cigarette by replacing the familiar smoking ritual. Scientifically, however, this effect has been studied far less extensively than that of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes.
2. In our tests, the urge to smoke decreased the longer participants abstained from nicotine
3. After about 3 months, the use of nicotine-free vapes has leveled off at a low level.

Tips for Quitting Nicotine from the Shisha Heaven Team

Whether you want to quit cigarettes or nicotine-containing vapes, we recommend the following approach:

Find the perfect nicotine-free alternatives to cigarettes that suit your needs:

1. Choose tobacco or mint flavor if you smoke cigarettes.
2. Try to find a nicotine-free version of your favorite vape product
3. Choose products with a strong cooling effect (e.g., menthol or Peach Ice), because Koolada enhances the throat hit

Which products are recommended?

Every beginning is hard: Start quitting nicotine

The transition from cigarettes to nicotine-free vaping is undoubtedly challenging. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, treat yourself to a few puffs puffs from your nicotine-free vape. Get used to the sweet and cool flavor and enjoy the following benefits:

• No bad breath
• No smelly hands
• No going outside

After a difficult transition period, we've made it

In our experience, nicotine-free products can indeed be a good substitute for cigarettes or nicotine-containing vapes. The biggest challenge is the transition period, during which the body has to learn to function without nicotine.

If you don't want to quit nicotine cold turkey, you can start by using vapes with 20 mg of nicotine, then gradually reduce the nicotine level to 10 mg over the course of several weeks, and only then to 0 mg.

Once you’ve gotten through those days and weeks, nicotine-free vapes can be an excellent way to satisfy that brief urge to vape or smoke—especially during tricky times (such as when drinking alcohol)—without slipping back into nicotine addiction in the days that follow.

*Sources

1. Hartmann-Boyce J, Lindson N, Butler AR et al. Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2025; CD010216. https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD010216_can-electronic-cigarettes-help-people-stop-smoking-and-do-they-have-any-unwanted-effects-when-used
2. Lindson N, Klemperer E, Hong B et al. How effective are medications and e-cigarettes for quitting smoking? Cochrane Network Meta-analysis. 2023. https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD015226_how-effective-are-medications-and-e-cigarettes-quitting-smoking-and-what-works-best