For over three decades, a cigarette was rarely far from Erica Crompton's lips. Starting at age 15, she was one of an estimated six million Brits for whom smoking was a daily ritual. Yet in 2024, the habit she had always managed began to exact a severe and frightening toll.
A Health Wake-Up Call
This year, the 46-year-old suffered two asthma attacks and developed a persistent daily cough. A visit to the dentist resulted in the extraction of three molars, accompanied by a stark warning: continue smoking and she risked being toothless by the age of 50. With her complexion dulled to a grey pallor and her sense of smell vanished, the physical signs were becoming impossible to ignore. Motivated by this health crisis, Erica resolved to make a change this season, embarking on a quit attempt aided by two unconventional tools: a disposable vape and a specially designed necklace.
The Search for the Right Aid
Previous attempts with vaping had failed, leaving her with a painful wheeze and unfulfilled cravings. Hope arrived during a night out in Scotland, where a volunteer's simple remark—"You just haven't found the right vape yet!"—prompted a fresh attempt. Back home, she visited a local vape shop and was recommended a Sonder vape, a disposable device charged regularly and replaced every six months. The difference was immediate. She stopped smoking for three full days and smoked only a dozen cigarettes over the following two months. Remarkably, within 48 hours of switching, her sense of smell returned, revealing the pervasive tobacco stench in her home, hair, and clothes.
However, a winter trip to Marrakesh, where Camel cigarettes cost just £3 a pack, proved a powerful lure. She swiftly returned to her forty-a-day routine. Undeterred, Erica sought another tool to complement her vaping, one that suited her personal style. She discovered Chalumu, a Bristol-based design duo who create necklaces aimed at helping people quit smoking and manage anxiety. Founded from personal experiences of 'trauma, anxiety and loss', their £15 necklaces offered a tactile, affordable solution. Erica ordered one in gold, adorned with hearts.
A Combined Strategy for Success
Armed with her Sonder vape and her new necklace, Erica devised a structured routine over the Christmas period. The vape handled the morning cravings and the stronger urges, while the necklace came into play during the afternoons and evenings. She found the necklace worked in two key ways: as a physical prop to fiddle with, similar to worry beads, and as a tool for focused breathwork. Taking a deep breath in and out through the necklace helped centre her and fight off nicotine cravings.
The results, while not an overnight miracle, are significant. During the festive season, she halved her cigarette intake to 20 a day. Over the subsequent three months, despite ups and downs, she has more than halved her overall cigarette consumption from her peak. The physical benefits are clear: her teeth feel less wobbly, her asthma has greatly improved, and the grey hue has left her skin, which now has a healthier glow. "My eyes are brighter," she notes, even wondering if she looks years younger.
Erica acknowledges her smoking cessation is a work in progress and a firm resolution for the coming year. Her story highlights that there is no single path to quitting, but a combination of modern aids and personalised strategies can lead to substantial, health-improving change.
