Quitting vaping does not always end nicotine use. Recent public health data suggest that some adults who give up e-cigarettes return to traditional combustible cigarettes, exposing themselves again to toxins associated with smoking while remaining caught in nicotine dependence.

Data from Action on Smoking and Health show that some smokers and dual users who stop vaping choose traditional tobacco products instead. Public health data indicate that nearly 30% of adults who quit vaping end up returning to combustible cigarettes.

Trent Carter, a board certified nurse practitioner and CEO of Renew Health, said the switch may appear counterintuitive. Renew Health is a behavioral and mental health practice based in New Mexico.

Carter told Fox News Digital that the structure of cigarette use may help explain the appeal. “Vaping can become constant throughout the day, whereas a cigarette is more of a defined episode,” he said.

Unlike cigarettes, vaping can occur repeatedly throughout the day and often indoors. Carter said that convenience can increase nicotine consumption while strengthening the hand to mouth behavior associated with the habit.

Cigarettes, by comparison, can appear more controlled because smoking requires a deliberate series of actions. A person may need to go outside and light a cigarette, while vaping can happen so frequently that the user may not recognize the extent of the behavior.

The nicotine delivered by e-cigarettes can also make quitting particularly difficult. Many vaping devices use highly concentrated nicotine salts, allowing users to inhale large doses with individual puffs compared with traditional cigarettes.

“If you're consuming a large amount with every single puff ... it's going to be harder to stop when compared to a lower dose,” Carter said. That repeated exposure can increase physical tolerance and deepen dependence.

Nicotine affects brain chemistry by stimulating neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which govern pleasure and mood, according to Cleveland Clinic. Abruptly stopping heavy nicotine consumption can produce intense cravings, irritability, sleep disturbances and brain fog.

The potency of some vaping products can also complicate attempts to manage withdrawal. Carter said over the counter nicotine patches or gum may feel inadequate to someone accustomed to rapid relief from high volume nicotine use.

“While a patch or gum could definitely help with the nicotine cravings, if you're not addressing the behavioral aspect of it, then you're really falling short,” Carter said. “You're leaving a huge component of why they may be smoking — whether it's because of anxiety or even insomnia during the day.”

Carter also pointed to early public messaging around e-cigarettes. When the products first reached the market, they were presented as a healthier, doctor approved alternative to smoking, which he said left many consumers with a false sense of security about the difficulty of quitting.

“If you're being told something is safe or doctor-approved , we tend to feel we're making the right choice,” Carter said. He noted that while e-cigarettes do not contain some of the toxins found in traditional cigarettes, users may consume substantially more nicotine.

That elevated intake can carry physical and mental consequences. Carter cautioned that heavy and uninterrupted nicotine use can cause blood pressure spikes, increased heart rates, disrupted sleep and heightened anxiety.

Switching from vaping to cigarettes presents another danger because cigarettes reintroduce harmful toxins, tar and carbon monoxide. Addiction specialists instead recommend medically supervised approaches that combine behavioral therapy with gradual nicotine reduction.

“The goal shouldn't be to find another way to consume nicotine,” Carter said. “The goal should be to treat the dependence itself.”

Carter said recovery should focus on the underlying reasons for nicotine use rather than exchanging one product for another. He advised people struggling to quit to develop greater self awareness and promptly consult a licensed addiction or mental health professional for a personalized recovery plan.

---

Are you feeling overwhelmed or hopeless right now? Have you been withdrawing from people or activities you usually enjoy? Are you having thoughts about hurting yourself, or feeling like things will never improve?

You do not have to handle those feelings alone. Support is available, and talking to someone can make a difference. You can reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or by chatting online at 988lifeline.org. Trained counselors are available 24 hours a day to listen and help.

If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call emergency services right away. Even a small step, like reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or professional, can help create a path forward.