CBD to Help You Quit Smoking?

In Australia alone, more than 24,000 people die each year as a result of smoking. According to the Australian Cancer Society, young people smoke more occasionally, and older people more regularly and at a higher frequency. Experts assume that in Australia, despite declining numbers, three million people still smoke.

There are smokers who want to quit, it’s only natural. The problem, however, is that quitting the smokes is very difficult for most of them –which is completely understandable. The cannabinoid, CBD -including hemp oil online- may be an aid in quitting smoking that should be considered by all smokers struggling to kick the habit.

Derived from the cannabis plant, it may, for example, help the withdrawal symptoms after quitting, along with behaviours associated with the act of smoking. This is how CBD and hemp may reduce the cravings and get you on the path to better health.

It’s important to note that, in contrast to the related THC, CBD is not psychoactive, that is, it does not cause any intoxicating feeling, and is also not addictive. In short: it does not get you high!

For smokers who are finding it hard to break the habit of the act of smoking itself, hemp oil online may be an ideal replacement.

The Barriers to Quitting Smoking

When asked when they smoke, most smokers answer that they reach for the smokes in stressful situations, when depressed, when they feel fear or when they are bored. This results in a psychological as well as physical dependency in many of those affected.

The nicotine contained in tobacco triggers a brief but strong feeling of intoxication in the body. This is usually the major reason for the addiction, too. When the drug is withdrawn from the addict’s body, withdrawal symptoms appear.

In addition to the factors listed above, social pressure is another reason why some can’t quit smoking. Think of parties with your smoking friends! The social interaction with smoking colleagues or other social situations that you share with smokers can make quitting a much more difficult task. That is okay, because there’s CBD and  hemp oil online which may help!

How CBD May Help You Quit Smoking

Anyone who likes their daily smoke will probably find it extremely hard to quit. For those who consider smoking a bad habit, and always try to quit, there’s no shame in trying again after a relapse!

Researchers from London have found that CBD may help quit such habits. The study results presented by researchers showed that CBD may suppress nicotine withdrawals. As part of this study, 24 smokers who wanted to quit were divided into two groups. One received a placebo, the other CBD. Both groups took their dose via an inhaler over a period of one week and were told to use the device when cravings were present.

The results found that cigarette consumption did not decrease in the participants in the placebo group, however it decreased significantly in the CBD group –by up to 40%! Follow-up examinations of the test subjects even showed that this good behaviour was maintained over a longer period of time.

The researchers assume that the receptors of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which are addressed by CBD, help with short-term weaning, but also have an impact on certain memory processes that revolve around triggers of smoking habits. According to experts, these are partly responsible for the fact that smokers keep picking up the familiar cigarette through habit.

CBD may therefore suppress a smoker’s memory of the ‘reward’ feeling they associate with the act of smoking via its influence on the ECS (we have a great article on the Endocannabinoid System here if you want to learn more about how it works).

CBD Against the Withdrawal Symptoms

Quitting smoking is one thing, but keeping off the smokes is another! People who smoke habitually usually suffer from physical and mental withdrawal symptoms after quitting. These can encourage former smokers, and people in the process of quitting, to start again.

The most common withdrawal symptoms include:

• Anger and irritability
• Fear and nervousness
• Poor concentration
• Restlessness
• Overeating
• Headache
• Sleep disorders
• Tremble
• Stomach problems
• Depression

Given the research above, CBD may be an effective remedy against these forms of withdrawal and make it easier to quit once and for all. A 40% reduction in smoking is no small feat!

Final Thoughts

CBD may be an excellent tool to help quitting, however, like many tools available, there is no 100% guarantee it will be the deciding factor. Willpower and determination will always be the things that keep people from going back to the smokes.

Always, however, be sure to consult your health professional before trying any new supplements, including CBD. Try, too, to make sure you’re buying premium CBD products. You can tell this pretty easily: the retailer should be willing to share an independent laboratory’s certificate of analysis, which shows the potency and purity of their products, like we do here.

If you’ve used CBD to help yourself quit smoking, let us know in the comments below! And as always, if you have any questions, you can email us here. We’re happy to help.