Last updated on 25 May 2022
With the growing popularity of CBD to treat addiction, people have discovered that it can also be an excellent alternative to smoking cigarettes. There are supermarkets in Switzerland that are selling CBD cigarettes known as “Marijuana Lite.” Many users smoke CBD cigarettes to help kick the habit
Since the early 20th century, smoking has been a widespread issue in Europe. For many years, tobacco consumption has been the largest avoidable cause of death in the European Union. An estimated 100 million people are current daily smokers in Europe. According to another WHO study, tobacco continues to be the principal preventable cause of death in the world, killing approximately 6 million people each year and causing economic losses estimated at over half a trillion dollars. Many studies published in biomedical journals indicate that CBD may treat addiction. In particular, two studies in the UK have shown great results for the use of CBD to quit smoking cigarettes.
What Does Research Say About Using CBD To Quit Smoking?
A study on CBD by Freidbert Weiss produced positive results on using CBD to treat addiction. Although this particular study was conducted on rats conditioned cocaine or alcohol addiction, it sheds some light on the power of CBD as an effective way to cure addiction. Researchers have long speculated that “drugs that alter the endocannabinoid system may be an effective treatment for nicotine addiction,” but more research is needed.
There are also two recent studies by the University College London on the effectiveness of CBD to quit smoking. The first study gave 12 smokers a CBD inhaler and another 12 smokers a placebo inhaler to use whenever they had a cigarette craving. Researchers found that those using the CBD inhaler reduced their cigarette intake by 40 percent, while those using the placebo had no significant change.
In May 2018, another study on CBD and smoking came from the UK. In this double-blind, randomized study, 30 dependent smokers were given 800mg of CBD orally or a matched placebo. Participants were then shown “pictorial tobacco cues” and were examined for withdrawal, cravings, heart rate and blood pressure. In real life, these “tobacco cues” could be situations where the chance of relapsing is highest, like parties, drinking, or friends smoking. What they found was interesting: a single 800mg dose of CBD could help to reduce the “pleasantness” of cigarette cues compared to the placebo group, especially when participants had abstained from cigarettes overnight.
How does it work?
The fact is that quitting smoking is more than overcoming a physical addiction, it’s also the process of breaking a habit, which is difficult and can cause a lot of stress to the dependent smoker. Smoking CBD-rich flower or vaping a CBD e-liquids could both relieve stress and anxiety as well as fulfill the habit of holding something and smoking. The fact that CBD also naturally reduces anxiety and helps one to relax is an added benefit to help people kick the habit. Many smokers keep smoking simply because they enjoy the act of inhaling a substance to help them relax.
How to Use CBD to Quit Smoking
Using Cannabis to quit smoking cigarettes is nothing new. For years, many people have successfully used cannabis as an alternative to smoking cigarettes. THC, as well as CBD, bring on relaxing effects that can reduce anxiety and stress levels. However, smoking THC daily isn’t practical for many people. It’s important to remember that CBD is a not a psychoactive compound from the cannabis plant. Since it doesn’t get you high, while providing a ton of medical benefits, it’s a safer alternative to using cannabis high in THC. It’s convenient to use daily and even at work.
CBD oil is derived from hemp with 0.3 percent of THC or less and is accessible in most countries around the world. There are many options when shopping for CBD products to quit smoking; everything from CBD oil, pastes, or e-liquids which you can vape. These are available online – we recommend the products from Nordic Oil, which are third-party tested and of the highest quality.
Many of the most successful techniques for quitting smoking involve replacing your smoking habits with new, healthier habits, like taking a walk after a meal or having a cup of tea during a time when you would normally have a cigarette. Replacing tobacco cigarettes with CBD cigarettes isn’t a long-term solution, but it can definitely help the transition.
Then, it’s healthier to opt for vaping CBD or taking it orally, as an oil or edible like gummies or chewing gum. Studies have also shown that taking a daily dose of CBD can help recovering addicts quit other substances as well, such as opioids and cocaine.
Author
With close to two decades of successful stint in the Media industry, I felt I was surely missing a piece in my life puzzle. I took a break and set out to seek the purpose of my life. I travelled, lived out of a suitcase, let things flow into life without resisting, and after five challenging years, I found my rhythm. I love to write about Cannabis and Health and try my best to simplify esoteric concepts into simple ideas for life.
