Quitting vaping on willpower alone is the hard way. The good news is that real support is free, confidential, and a text or phone call away. You don't need insurance, a doctor's appointment, or a parent's permission to start most of these.
Here's every free option we could verify as currently running, what each one is good for, and exactly how to start today. (Quick disclosure: one of these is our own app, Escape the Vape. We've listed it last and kept it to the facts.)
The fastest ways to get free help
If you only read one section, make it this one.
| Resource | Who it's for | How to start | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| EX Program text program (Truth Initiative, formerly This is Quitting) | Anyone 13+ who vapes | Text EXPROGRAM to 88709 | Free (message and data rates may apply) |
| 1-800-QUIT-NOW state quitlines | Anyone in the US; teen age limits vary by state | Call 1-800-784-8669 | Free |
| National Texting Portal | Anyone who wants on-demand text support | Text QUITNOW to 333888 | Free (message and data rates may apply) |
| SmokefreeTXT (National Cancer Institute) | US adults ready to quit | Text QUIT to 47848 or sign up online | Free (message and data rates may apply) |
| SmokefreeTXT for Teens | US teens ages 13–17 | Text QUIT to 47848 or sign up at teen.smokefree.gov | Free (message and data rates may apply) |
| My Life, My Quit | Teens in participating states | Text Start My Quit to 36072 or call 1-855-891-9989 | Free |
| quitSTART app (Smokefree.gov) | Anyone who wants a simple tracker | Download from the App Store or Google Play | Free |
| Escape the Vape app | Anyone quitting vaping | Download at escapethevape.app | Free, optional premium |
Text programs: help in your pocket
Text programs are a great fit if you want support without downloading anything or talking on the phone. Messages arrive as regular texts, and you can opt out any time by replying STOP.
EX Program (formerly This is Quitting)
This is the best-studied free tool for quitting vaping. Truth Initiative launched This is Quitting in 2019 as a text program built for young people who vape, and it's now part of Truth Initiative's EX Program. Anyone 13 or older can join by texting EXPROGRAM to 88709. Older guides list the keyword DITCHVAPE, but EXPROGRAM is the one Truth Initiative currently promotes.
It's been tested in randomized trials with both young adults and teens, and people who got the texts were more likely to have quit seven months later. We break that research down in do quit vaping apps work?
SmokefreeTXT and SmokefreeTXT for Teens
These free programs come from Smokefree.gov, run by the National Cancer Institute. Text QUIT to 47848 to join. You can enroll up to two weeks before your quit date, and messages continue for about six weeks after it.
One honest note: SmokefreeTXT was designed for quitting smoking, so some messages talk about cigarettes. Smokefree Teen still recommends it to people quitting vaping, and the craving and slip-up advice works either way. You can also text keywords any time for an instant boost. Teens can text WANT for craving tips or UH OH after a slip.
Quitlines: talk to a real coach for free
Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) and you'll be connected to your state's quitline. Every US state, plus DC, Puerto Rico, and Guam, has one. According to the CDC, quitline services are free and confidential, and coaches can help with e-cigarettes, not just cigarettes.
What a quitline can do for you:
- Build a quit plan with a trained coach who has helped lots of people in your situation.
- Talk through medication, like nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges, and how to use them.
- Send free medication in some states, or give you vouchers or discounts. For example, Massachusetts offers eight weeks of free patches, gum, or lozenges to eligible residents 18 and older.
- Point you to text, web, and chat options if you'd rather not talk on the phone.
You don't have to be ready to quit today to call. Most states serve teens, but the minimum age varies, so just ask. Spanish speakers can call 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569).
Prefer to chat with someone online? Smokefree.gov also offers its LiveHelp chat and a line at 1-877-44U-QUIT (1-877-448-7848) to talk with a tobacco cessation counselor.
For teens: My Life, My Quit
Many state quitlines run My Life, My Quit, a free program made for teens who vape or use tobacco. It includes up to five coaching sessions by phone, live text, or online chat with a coach trained to work with young people. Text Start My Quit to 36072 or call 1-855-891-9989. It isn't offered in every state, but if yours doesn't have it, 1-800-QUIT-NOW will point you to what's available. If you're a parent, our guide on how to help a teen quit vaping covers how to bring it up.
Free apps
Apps are good for seeing your progress and having tools ready the moment a craving hits.
- quitSTART is a free app from Smokefree.gov. It tracks your progress, gives you badges for milestones, lets you tag places that trigger cravings, and offers games to distract you. Like SmokefreeTXT, it was built for smoking.
- Escape the Vape is our app, built specifically for vaping. It's free on iOS and Android and more than 300,000 people have used it. It tracks your vape-free streak, money saved, and pods escaped, and shows a health recovery timeline from 20 minutes to a year. It also has craving support, milestone badges, short lessons, and a community of people quitting alongside you.
For a side-by-side look, see our comparison of quit vaping apps.
Mix and match: you can use more than one
These tools don't compete with each other. A simple, free combo that covers your bases:
- A text program for daily check-ins (EX Program or SmokefreeTXT).
- An app for tracking progress and craving support.
- A quitline call if you want a coach, or if you're thinking about nicotine patches, gum or lozenges.
If you're 18 or older and a heavy vaper, the quitline is especially worth calling, since some states will send nicotine replacement for free.
Pick one and start today
You don't have to set everything up at once. Send one text or make one call today. That single step turns "I should quit someday" into a plan with real people and tools behind it. Help is free, and you deserve to use it.