I smoked a pack-a-day for fifteen years of my life, but when I hit 30, my chest and throat were sore all the time and I finally made the choice to stop. I chewed 4mg nicotine gum (Thrive, not that horrible Nicorette shit that can hardly be called gum) as many pieces as I needed for like twelve years. Then I switched to sugar free gum, and now I can smoke the occasional cigarette without feeling the need to start smoking again.
For those struggling to quit smoking or vaping, give Thrive a try. It works really well as long as you chew it properly - bite bite, hold; bite, bite, hold. Also, chew as much as you need when you first stop smoking. It definitely makes the cravings go away. Chew it as long as you need to and when you feel like you’re ready, move down to 2mg, then 1mg.