Quitting smoking is tough, but each year many smokers accomplish the feat. Recently, Medical Daily reached out to our readers to learn some of the tips and techniques that helped them kick the habit. Here are some of the best pieces of advice that we received, plus the science to explain why each hack may or may not be best for you.

Vaping And E-Cigarettes

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling vaporized water, whether through a vaporizer or “vaper”, or through an electronic cigarette, “e-cigarette.” According to one Medical Daily reader, her boyfriend found it easier to quit when he took up vaping to replace the habit.

“It was the only thing that worked for him and he stopped smoking after that for good. He still vapes, but with a lower nicotine concentration than when he started,” they wrote to Medical Daily. “Not sure of the medical repercussions of vaping since it's such a new thing, but I'm sure it's better than smoking.”

Read: 3 Better Ways To Quit Smoking: Forget Patches And Nicotine Gum, According To New Research

Replacing smoking cigarettes with vaping is a very popular, and according to accounting research, a very effective way for people to kick the nasty habit. While these tools can’t make people stop smoking immediately, the evidence suggests time and again, that these vaping can help you eventually get there.

For example, one 2012 study found that 6 of those who were using an e-cigarette on a daily basis went on to try and give up smoking within the year, compared with 44% of smokers who were not using e-cigarettes. Upping the nicotine dose and using the tools on a daily basis may also help you quit faster than using them much more infrequently and with lower nicotine doses, The Guardian reported.

Punishment

Another reader told Medical Daily how her grandfather was able to quit smoking “cold turkey” by punishing himself with intense exercising.

“He never went back to smoking because he didn't want to have to punish himself with running again,” the reader wrote.

While punishment doesn’t always work with addicts, research has shown that in the case of quitting smoking, minor punishments and penalties for backslides can help a quitter quit for good. For example, one study found that people were twice as likely to quit when they were given a monetary penalty for smoking, as opposed to those given a monetary reward for not smoking.

In the study, those in the “penalty program”, were given a deposit of $150. If they abstained from smoking for six months they got their deposit back, plus a reward of $650. However, the other group of smokers were given $800 if they abstained from smoking for six months, but with no original deposit, The Guardian reported.

The findings suggest that minor punishment, whether monetary or physical, can help persuade smokers to finally quit.

Substitution

Many readers explained how using a “substitution” for cigarettes helped them to quit, such as one reader who used “Ranch or original sunflower seeds” or another who explained that she turned to apples when her cravings hit.

The substitution strategy for quitting is actually very popular and involves replacing the habit of smoking with something else far less dangerous. According to WebMD, some popular ways to distract yourself when the cravings hit include flossing with mint-flavored floss, chewing on a toothpick, or gum, or sucking on a piece of hard candy.

In addition to oral fixation substitutes, it also helps to have a new activity substitute, such as one reader who explained how simultaneously taking up exercise when she quit smoking helped her stay on track.

These tips and tricks can get you started with the quitting process, but if you need extra help it’s okay to reach out. According to the American Cancer Society, support groups such as Nicotine Anonymous or the hotline 1-800-QUIT NOW are there to help smokers not only quit, but quit for good.

See Also:

Quit Smoking And Reclaim Your Life: Risks Of Lung Cancer, Other Diseases Decline Significantly

Quitting Smoking: For 40 Days Of Lent, This Is What Would Happen To Your Body If You Stopped Smoking