If you are in the habit of smoking tobacco, you would know how difficult it can be to quit it. The uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms associated with prolonged nicotine use make it incredibly hard for smokers to let it go. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, only about six percent of users are successfully able to quit nicotine in any given year.
Nicotine withdrawal symptoms manifest in various forms. some of the common ones include:
- Cravings
- Sweating
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Chills
- Sleep disturbances
- Headaches
- Heightened stress
- Irritability
In the first week of stopping nicotine use, the withdrawal symptoms are the strongest, leading to a higher chance of withdrawal.
While you may find several different kinds of nicotine-based products, such as e-cigarettes, in the market that help in reducing cravings, several studies have pointed out that CBD can actually be a useful and powerful tool that helps combat the addiction.
What Does Research Have to Say?
The University College London published two exciting studies that elucidate the role CBD has to play in quitting tobacco smoking. The 2013 study offered 12 dependent smokers to use CBD inhalers and 12 smokers to try a placebo inhaler to control cigarette cravings.
Researchers were able to find that the group with CBD inhalers could reduce 40% of their cigarette intake, while there wasn’t a significant change in the placebo control group. The researchers concluded that drugs that can alter the body’s endocannabinoid system could be used to treat nicotine addiction effectively.
The 2018 study was a randomized, double-blind study where 30 dependent smokers were either given CBD of 800mg or a matched placebo. Participants were shown ‘pictorial tobacco cues’ to examine blood pressure, heart rate, cravings, and withdrawal. These cues were situations where the probability of relapse was the highest, such as friends smoking, drinking, or party scenes. The study showed that one single CBD dose of 800mg was able to reduce the ‘pleasantness’ associated with cigarette cues, while the placebo group did not experience such a thing.
How CBD Cigarettes Helped Me Quit Tobacco?
When I look back at it, I find the entire process quite surprising. If you go through various studies and articles online, you will figure out that CBD has to offer a variety of therapeutic benefits to the body, making it a much healthier substitute for tobacco.
When you look at human biology, you will see that CBD bind with the same cell receptors as that of antidepressant drugs, which is the reason why it is so effective in treating nicotine addiction. As a result, you experience a surge of feel-good neurotransmitters, like serotonin, that can help control the cravings.
Just like any other smoker, I have my triggers. It was either the pairing my morning cup of coffee with a cigarette or sneaking a few puffs at work when anxiety goes on my nerves. Over time, these feelings, habits, and images tend to increase the need for smoking.
When these habits are rewarded by smoking a cigarette, the connection gets even stronger in the brain. And when no reward follows all of a sudden, the first signs of withdrawal start to show up, which can be in the form of cravings, anxiety, irritability, and so on. It most scenarios, there would be a relapse, which would ultimately keep the vicious cycle going on.
When I had made up my mind that it was time to take things seriously, I found CBD cigarettes highly beneficial. These cigarettes contain hemp instead of tobacco. As CBD doesn’t get you high, you can easily avail it legally.
When I look back at it, I consider myself incredibly lucky to have found something that could steer me into a healthier path. If you are someone who is struggling with your tobacco dependency, you should definitely give CBD cigarettes a try.
How Do CBD Cigarettes Work?
As an all-natural substitute to tobacco, CBD cigarettes when paired with healthier lifestyle choices can be useful in combating nicotine addiction for good. Let’s find out how it is possible.
- CBD May Help in Neutralising Smoking Cues – As per the 2018 study, CBD has the potential to alter the attentional bias towards cigarette cues. In simpler words, you won’t feel as triggered as it would have been otherwise.
- CBD May Help in Reducing Nicotine Cravings – A pilot study that was published in the journal Addictive Behaviours showed a significant reduction in cravings.
- CBD May help in Fighting Addiction – Several studies have shown that CBD is beneficial in treating addiction. It does so by reducing the intensity of the withdrawal symptoms like inflammation, stress, anxiety, impulsive behaviour, and so on. Additionally, CBD also has a therapeutic potential which could be relevant to users who have underlying conditions that increase the risk of relapse, such as impaired impulse control, heightened anxiety, and susceptibility to stress.
How to Use CBD Cigarettes to Quit Smoking?
As discussed earlier, CBD cigarettes are an all-natural substitute for tobacco, which also happens to be non-addictive and effective in fighting off cravings. Here are some ways in which you can substitute your tobacco with CBD.
- Replacing your tobacco cigarettes with CBD cigarettes.
- Keeping one pack of CBD cigarettes handy in situations where cues are the strongest.
- Replacing your scheduled cigarette breaks with hemp cigarettes.
Closing Thoughts
The most difficult decision for you would be the day you make up your mind. Hence, take some time out and make that hard choice of setting a date and committing to it.
Martin B.
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