@SalCongratulations on 9 days! That is so incredible. Ironically (and I am sure others can weigh in on this) its those first few days and weeks that are the most difficult but also the most precious. It does get much easier.
I think it takes what it takes but I can recall vaping nicotine as a substitute in my quit four years ago. On day two, I realized it was keeping me in the habit of sucking on something for comfort instead of stopping the habit entirely. For me, it was way too similar to smoking. I relapsed on that quit (obviously) but learned a lot about what I was really addicted to. For me, it was not just the drug of nicotine but the oral fixation and ritual. I had to look at the latter squarely and release it if I were going to successfully get rid of the former.
Again my opinion, having tried all sorts of quit mechanisms over the last four or so years (NRT, hypnotherapy, meditation, vaping, 12-step), cold turkey is the best way. Get off nicotine and any other substance that keeps you thinking about nicotine or the ritual of smoking.
BTW, not sure where you are but edibles are generally cheaper and give greater effect than flower. I am in Colorado and have been tangentially in the "industry" for a long time here and back when I lived in Cali.
Wishing you success and thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. It helps me a lot.