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It started as a problem I couldn’t ignore.
For years, vaping was part of everything I did.
I’d wake up in the early hours of the night to vape. I slept with it next to me. During the day, it went everywhere, work, travel, social life.
At the office, my Managing Director vaped too, so it was normalised. On planes and trains I got good at hiding it. It didn’t feel like addiction, until I tried to stop.
And couldn’t.
What surprised me wasn’t how strong the nicotine was.
It was how much of it wasn’t nicotine.
Yes, vapes are strong. Most contain around 2% nicotine, often more than cigarettes. Yes, the flavours made it easier to keep going. Yes, anxiety played a role.
When I tried to quit, that’s what I missed. And nothing I tried addressed it.
But when I really paid attention, the hardest part of quitting wasn’t chemical withdrawal. It was the habit.
The constant hand-to-mouth motion. The kick in the throat. The feeling of doing something familiar when I was socialising, stressed, bored, or overwhelmed.
The gap nobody was talking about
I didn’t want another dependency. I didn’t want electronics. I didn’t want something that pretended to be a vape.
I wanted a way to let the habit fade without having to fight it every single time. As I’ve always said, coping implies struggle.ng, stressed, bored, or overwhelmed.
Building the first NOQA
In September 2024, I built the first NOQA prototype.
It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t commercial. But it did one important thing: it gave me something familiar to reach for without giving me nicotine.
That was enough.
I used it through the moments I used to vape, especially after meals, during work, when stress crept in quietly. Over time, those moments stopped pulling so hard.
Eventually, I stopped reaching for anything at all.
That’s when I knew this wasn’t just personal, it actually was useful.
What NOQA is (and isn’t)
NOQA isn’t a cure. It’s not a medical device…yet. It doesn’t promise outcomes.
It’s a simple, non-nicotine ritual tool designed for people who’ve already decided they don’t want nicotine anymore, but still find themselves reaching out of habit.
It exists for the in-between: after the decision, before the habit fully lets go.
We’re intentionally clear about that. Because honesty matters more than scale.
Quitting nicotine isn’t a switch you flip.
There isn’t one product, one technique, or one moment that makes it effortless, and anyone claiming otherwise is usually oversimplifying or worse.
NOQA doesn’t promise to fix everything.
It exists to help with specific moments where habits tend to resurface.
Sometimes that’s enough and sometimes it’s just one part of a bigger process.
Both are normal.
The NOQA Journey
From one problem to a global launch. NOQA didn’t appear overnight. It was shaped through lived experience, testing, setbacks, and a lot of restraint.
The moment everything changed
Sam builds a rough prototype — and uses it to quit vaping. No theory. Just real life proof.
Curiosity turns serious
We begin exploring the psychology behind habit, ritual, and why quitting tools keep missing the mark.
NOQA becomes real
The idea is officially incorporated — with a clear decision to build this properly, not quickly.
Backed by behavioural research
We start working with Manchester Metropolitan University to ground NOQA in real behavioural insight.
The first ‘real’ prototype
Our first production-level prototype takes shape — refining materials, feel, and function.
Put in real hands
Early testing begins. Honest feedback. No ego. Just learning what actually works.
Supported and challenged
NOQA is backed by SEHTA and HIWE, helping guide responsible development and long-term thinking.
The brand clicks into place
Language, positioning, and identity are finalised — with clarity on who NOQA is (and isn’t) for.
Quietly pre-launched
NOQA opens to early users — with results that confirm we’re building the right thing for the right people.
Full production underway
Manufacturing ramps up. The groundwork is done. It’s time to scale.
Hello, NOQA
NOQA launches into the world — built for people who’ve already decided, and just need support for the habit that lingers.