I was at my senior year homecoming dance when I learned what a vape was for the first time.
It was 2017, and I saw a group of my classmates huddled in a corner, passing around what looked like a USB drive.
Out of curiosity, I asked what it was, and one said, “What, you’ve never heard of a Juul before?” I hadn’t, but a quick Google search taught me it was meant to be a replacement for cigarettes.
I eventually joined the growing trend, which left me feeling awful for years — before I could muster the willpower to quit vaping. Thankfully, quitting has helped me save money and feel healthier.
It started with good intentions
A friend of mine had started smoking right before we left for college. After many years of health classes and TV commercials warning of the dangers of cigarettes, I knew this wasn’t a habit I should sit back and let my friend form. I went out and bought a vape for them — since getting them to stop altogether seemed like a tall order.
It seemed innocent enough because there was no actual tobacco involved, so I gave it a go myself. I immediately understood why they had become so popular. They tasted great and were fun to use, so without even considering the addictive qualities of nicotine, I bought my own.
Pod-based vapes were all the rage on my college campus. They were easy to pass around with friends, and every gas station for miles sold refills. They were also discreet and easy to use, so many students, including myself, carried them everywhere. It was common to run into classmates taking a “bathroom break,” when in reality we were all just vaping in the stalls.
Being that it was so easy to get away with, it didn’t occur to me that I was wiring my brain to become dependent on this little stick of nicotine in my pocket.
The cost hit both my wallet and my health
It was a regular errand of mine to go to the gas station after class. Running about $25 for a pack of four vape pods, it didn’t seem like a huge expense as a college dorm resident with few bills to pay.
Over time, the pods began to fall out of fashion and were replaced with disposable vapes. They weren’t much more expensive — at about $30 each.
But the frequency at which I made these purchases affected not only my wallet but also my health.
The habit continued for years. It became obvious to me that the idea of vapes being “better for you” simply because they lacked tobacco wasn’t true. I tried to quit several times, rarely making it longer than a few days or maybe even a week due to the withdrawals.
Factoring their costs into my budget felt like a cold sore that wouldn’t go away, knowing it was unnecessary, but the struggle to stop remained. But once I found myself so sick from it that I could barely take a deep breath, I buckled down and told myself the time had come.
In May, I threw away what would be my last vape and have not purchased one since.
Kicking the habit brought a breath of fresh air
The physical relief from quitting came slowly, but the financial part was almost immediate. Since the day I quit six months ago, I have saved over $900.
My resting heart rate has improved significantly, energy levels are up, and I don’t wake up each morning reaching for a vape before my eyes are even open.
I had looked up every technique I could possibly try to make the withdrawals easier, but it came down to the sheer willpower to lock myself in my apartment until the worst of the cravings stopped.
I can’t say they don’t still arise when I find myself particularly anxious (or just bored), but a life free from nicotine is one both my body and wallet are happy to have back.
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