Swap to Stop
What is 'Swap to Stop'?
If you are looking for help to stop smoking, the Swap to Stop project can help you. Using a vape along with other support is one of the most successful ways to stop smoking.
When you sign up, you can swap your regular cigarettes for a free vape and a slow-release nicotine-replacement therapy patch. You also get help, advice and one-to-one support for 12 weeks from the Sunderland Stop Smoking Service.
How the project works
Once you have been referred, at your first appointment the Sunderland Specialist Stop Smoking Service will give you a vape, starter kit and a voucher for a nicotine replacement patch. The vape is a closed pod DOT PRO which comes with replaceable pods.
You will have further appointments with a stop smoking advisor who will give you one-to-one support and more supplies of the pods for the vape and patches.
You can choose different flavoured pods depending on what is available. The smoking advisor will give you advice about nicotine strength and how often to use the vape.
You can return any old vapes and pods at your appointments and the service will get rid of them or they can be taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) at Pallion or dropped off at any large supermarket to be recycled.
Why Swapping Helps You Stop
Getting specialist help, advice and support while vaping increases your chances of stopping for good.
Vaping also provides similar taste and throat sensations to smoking.
If you have tried to stop smoking before, you can try again. Every time you try to stop smoking takes you closer to being smoke free.
Stop Smoking for Good
If you smoke, stopping is the single greatest thing you can do to improve your health. Within a month, you will:
- boost your immune system
- have lower blood pressure
- find it easier to breathe
- be able to be more active
- improve your sense of taste and smell
Within a year, the risk of heart disease will have halved. Within 5 years, the risk of stroke can be the same as a non-smoker.
If you smoke 20 cigarettes a day (and a pack costs £15) you could save more than £400 a month by switching to vapes with support from the Sunderland Stop Smoking Service.
FAQ's
You should use your device to help manage nicotine withdrawal and urges to smoke. You will soon discover the best way for you of using your device.
It’s not like a cigarette, which you would smoke from start to finish; with an e-cigarette or vape you can ‘sip’ on it once or twice, and then put it away. If you find that you have your vape in your mouth all the time, you may need to use a higher nicotine strength liquid.
Nicotine does not cause smoking related disease, such as cancers and heart disease. These are caused by other chemicals found in tobacco.
Nicotine is addictive and is why people continue to smoke despite knowing about the harmful effects. Nicotine in e-cigarettes poses little danger to adult users.
To prevent accidental poisoning of children and pets, e-cigarettes and liquids should be stored away safely and out of reach.
When you are ready to start reducing vape usage, many of the techniques that you learnt when quitting smoking such as distraction, changing routines and a gradual reduction in nicotine content may help.
Some people find leaving their vape in a drawer or a designated place in the house can help to reduce usage as it helps to prevent ‘sipping’ on the vape out of habit. If you need extra support, talking to a stop smoking practitioner or using a licenced NRT product such as a patch can be useful.