Swap to pipe smoking.

It gives you that hit, but it also requires patience and promotes introspection. Additionally, it's far less expensive.

I am the biggest nicotine junkie of all time.

Been on the nic since I was 14. I used to smoke bowls of weed and tobacco in my bong; (called a chop) and times when I smoked purely American spirit tobacco from my bong.

On one hand, this phase of only tobacco from my bong was my most productive phase of life ever school wise. On the other hand, i was so addicted to it that I couldn’t last longer than 1-2 hours without it. So if I had a 30min gap between classes, I couldn’t do hw at the library like a normal person. Id walk home, rip a fat t bowl, walk back to next class.

Nicotine patches were the only thing that got me off it.

If you can't go cold turkey look at vaping or patches to ease you off it.

I've tried everything to quit and concluded that I am dependent on the MAO inhibitors. This is common in long-term heavy smokers that fail to quit. I tried to get MAOIs prescribed but nobody prescribes them anymore. You can get get full flavor extracts of tobacco for vaporization and it does a pretty good job with less carcinogens. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2022.886496/full

I tried the patches. They only irritated my skin and made me want to smoke more. Had to pass on those, but your mileage may vary.

I tried the nicotine gum. Nasty shit. They could make them taste better at least. Gave up on those.

I tried the nicotine inhaler. Those worked pretty good. I used to get them on prescription (free because I lived in the UK at the time). I found myself going through them too fast though. Those won't stain your teeth, but they can get expensive. Might try this method again, it looks like it's getting cheaper than the vape cartridges.

Which is where I am now. I switched to vaping quite a few years ago. Immediately, I noticed I was able to breathe better, and could climb stairs without getting huffed out. After a couple of years, I thought I would try a cigarette out just to see if I was missing anything. That was the NASTIEST tasting thing I ever tasted. I didn't even make it past 3 puffs before I had to put it out. I could never go back to smoking cigarettes. BLECH! I can't believe I used to smoke that shit.

I also use the Harmless Cigarette when I'm in a place unable to vape. It's a fake cigarette to help keep your hands busy. It's a plastic tube with a filter inside and a little bitty fan that spins when you inhale. You can get a few flavors as well. It doesn't always curb the nicotine craving. Sometimes I use it in conjunction with nicotine lozenges. I get the CVS brand 2mg. I have to snap them in half because a whole one lingers in the mouth too long and starts to burn after awhile.

While all these are really aids in assisting you quit smoking, they are definitely less toxic than tobacco. The reality is, nicotine is nicotine, and you can't quit nicotine using nicotine. The only way to really quit nicotine altogether is to get it in your mind to stop and go cold turkey.