8 Days Without Nicotine (Hong Kong Vape Ban Reality Check)

8 Days Without Nicotine (Hong Kong Vape Ban Reality Check)

So, it’s been 8 days since I’ve had nicotine.

When I first heard about the Hong Kong vape ban coming in, I thought it would be a good opportunity to quit. I hadn’t smoked cigarettes in years, and I was only hitting the vape maybe 3–4 times a day, usually during high-stress moments.

In my head, I was like, this should be easy.

It was not.

Before we jump into this topic, I covered some surface level stuff about what exactly we are replacing in this shift from nicotine to performance. You can find that here. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWvC27TE2hU/   -- This is a video of every time I got a nicotine craving during the first six days of nicotine-free life.

The part no one really talks about

I’m now on day 8.
And weirdly… I don’t even crave the vape anymore.

I crave cigarettes.

Which makes absolutely no sense to me.

I wasn’t even smoking before, but somehow my brain has decided that cigarettes are now the solution. That’s when it clicked for me.

It’s not about the vape.
It’s about the habit.

During stressful moments, I used vaping as a crutch. But after sitting with it for a week, I realised something slightly uncomfortable.

A lot of those “stressful moments” weren’t actually stress.
They were just convenient excuses to feed the addiction.

What’s actually hard about quitting nicotine

Everyone thinks it’s the nicotine itself.

It’s not.

It’s:

  • the routine
  • the break from whatever you’re doing
  • and yeah… the oral fixation (we’ll keep that phrasing)

That’s the part that sneaks up on you.

What I’ve been using instead (shameless plug, but also real)

Alright, incoming shameless plug.

What’s helped me get through the past week has been Menta Pouches, specifically the caffeine ones.

Not because it’s some magic fix, but because:

  • it gives me a bit of a mental “kick”
  • it replaces the habit, something under the lip, same motion
  • and it helps me push through those moments where I’d normally reach for nicotine

It’s not about replacing one addiction with another. It’s about replacing it with something that actually does something useful.

My honest take on nicotine (no preaching)

I don’t think nicotine itself is the enemy.

But:

  • inhaling random chemicals probably isn’t ideal
  • and if I’m being honest… we all look a bit ridiculous vaping

It’s kind of the ultimate cope.

Where I’m at now

Day 8:

  • cravings are still there, just… redirected, apparently
  • the habit is the hardest part
  • but it’s getting easier

I think if I can get through another couple of weeks, it should be smooth sailing.

If you’re also trying to quit vaping in Hong Kong

You don’t just need to remove nicotine.

You need to replace:

  • the habit
  • the ritual
  • the mental “reset”

Otherwise, you’ll just end up substituting it with something else, usually worse.

Still figuring it out

I’m still experimenting with what works.

If you’ve found anything that helps, genuinely, I’m all ears.

👉 You can follow updates here:
Instagram: @mentapouches

Back to blog