Quitting Vaping: What Health Canada Advises

You can quit vaping either by cutting down gradually or by stopping all at once, and Health Canada says the tools that help people stop smoking can also help with vaping. Cravings and withdrawal are the hard part, so most of this page is about planning for them. This page covers Health Canada’s guidance as of 27 October 2026.

Is quitting vaping the same as quitting smoking?

It is similar enough that the same ideas carry over: set reasons, plan for triggers, line up support. Health Canada says nicotine is addictive and can cause dependence, though it is not known on its own to cause cancer or respiratory or vascular disease. One difference applies to people who switched from cigarettes. Health Canada advises quitting vaping once you are confident you will not return to smoking, so if you still smoke, stopping cigarettes is the priority. See quit smoking in Canada.

This page does not present vaping as a way to quit smoking. Health Canada states that vaping products are not approved under the Food and Drugs Act as a quit-smoking aid and cannot be prescribed. For the legal side, see vaping laws in Canada.

What does withdrawal feel like, and how long does it last?

Health Canada lists cravings, restlessness, irritability, sadness, and trouble concentrating or sleeping. Its words: “This is common and not dangerous.” It adds that symptoms improve over time as long as you remain vape-free. Its page on vaping gives no day-by-day timeline. For cigarettes, Health Canada says withdrawal peaks in the first week and lasts about two to four weeks.

If symptoms worry you, or sleep problems continue, talk to a healthcare provider.

How do I handle cravings?

Health Canada says cravings typically pass within a few minutes if you delay vaping, and gives the 5Ds:

1. Delay vaping as long as you can.
2. Distract yourself by doing something else.
3. Deep breathing to help you relax.
4. Drink water to keep your hands and mouth busy.
5. Discuss how you feel with a friend or quit coach.

Common vaping triggers on its list are driving or walking, coffee or alcohol, phone use, stress or boredom, and social settings. Its planner suggests noting your triggers during the next few times you vape, and, if you plan to stop all at once, clearing vaping products from your home before your quit date. Health Canada also recommends trying to make your home and car vape-free, or at least creating a vape-free space and removing all devices and liquids. More on turning triggers into a plan is in quit smoking triggers and replacements.

Are there medicines for quitting vaping?

Not with an approval for that purpose. Health Canada says: “To date, quit aids have not been approved in Canada with the express purpose of helping someone quit vaping.” It calls the research on using them for vaping promising and lists nicotine replacement therapy, prescription medications and cytisine as options to ask a healthcare provider about. Cold turkey works for some people but not everyone. Its planner also notes that nicotine replacement is not recommended for anyone under 18 unless a doctor advises it.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding or chestfeeding, Health Canada calls it an important time to quit vaping and recommends counselling as a first step.

Where can I get support?

Health Canada lists a healthcare provider, quit vaping programs, counselling, a quitline, phone applications and text messaging, and provincial and territorial services, and says combining kinds of support gives the best chance of success. The national quit line is 1-866-366-3667.

Provincial programs we could confirm mention vaping:

Province	Program	What the program page says
Alberta	AlbertaQuits	Free program to stop smoking or vaping; helpline 1-866-710-7848; text ABQUITS to 123456
British Columbia	QuitNow	Free; live chat with a quit coach, coaching calls, text and email tips, forum and group sessions
Quebec	iQuitnow	Free, confidential help to quit smoking or vaping online, by phone or in person
Newfoundland and Labrador	Smokers’ Helpline	Quit-vaping page with tips and a quit plan; phone 1-800-363-5864, text 709-700-7002

Other provinces and territories may also support vaping; ask the line listed in free help by province.

What is available for teenagers and young adults?

Health Canada’s “I quit for me” guide is written for people aged 14 to 18 who want to quit tobacco, cigarettes or vapes. It says it does not preach at you to quit. Inside are self-assessments for vaping and smoking dependence, reasons to quit, three quit plans (with a friend’s help, cutting back first, or a set quit date), tips on withdrawal, cravings and stress, and tracking cards. It is a 44-page PDF that can also be read online, with a French edition. Health Canada also offers a facilitator’s guide for teachers and community groups who run group programs.

Parents can find Health Canada’s tip sheets for talking with teens on its youth resources page. Health Canada notes that once a young person shows symptoms of physical dependence on nicotine, it can be hard to stop, which is a reason to involve a health professional early.

How do I make a plan?

Health Canada’s online quit planner works for vaping too. It takes seven steps: reasons, concerns paired with strategies, triggers, your approach, tools and supports, how you will resist cravings, and a quit date. The planner states that it does not collect or save your answers, and you can print the result. Pick a quit date with enough time to prepare but not so much that your motivation fades. If you slip, what to do after a slip applies equally to vapes.