"Can CBD Help You to Quit Smoking"?

CBD oil is becoming well-known for its potential in  the treatment of a wide variety of health conditions and addictions. 

When it comes to cigarettes, many smokers are triggered by stressful situations as they start to quit smoking... 

Nicotine like other addictive drugs, forms a physical dependence by reprogramming the synaptic receptors in the brain. The nicotine molecule causes a surge of dopamine in the reward centers of the brain, leading to a sense of euphoria.

However, over time the molecule changes the dopamine and other neurochemical receptors to only accept nicotine, meaning consuming the drug is the only way to release dopamine.

When a tobacco user tries to quit, the brain can no longer make the same amount of dopamine. This leads to withdrawal symptoms, the list of which is long and includes: anxiety, depression, weight gain, headaches, problems concentrating, drowsiness or trouble sleeping, and feeling tense, restless, or irritable.

-Can CBD help?

In 2013 the Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit of the University College in London, conducted a pilot, randomised double blind placebo controlled study set out to assess the impact of the ad-hoc use of cannabidiol (CBD) in smokers who wished to stop smoking. 

-24 smokers were randomised to receive an inhaler of CBD (n=12) or placebo (n=12) for one week, they were instructed to use the inhaler when they felt the urge to smoke.

-Over the treatment week, placebo treated smokers showed no differences in number of cigarettes smoked.

-In contrast, those treated with CBD significantly reduced the number of cigarettes smoked by ~40% during treatment.

-Results also indicated some maintenance of this effect at follow-up. These preliminary data, combined with the strong preclinical rationale for use of this compound, suggest CBD to be a potential treatment for nicotine addiction that warrants further exploration.

-Breaking the Cycle of Addiction with CBD Oil

The cycle of addiction can impact an individual in a number of different ways. Beyond triggers in the environment, addiction is impacted by both emotional and cellular memory.

The brain has a natural desire to create links. Anyone who has tried to quit smoking will know all too well that during that first coffee of the day, or perhaps after a meal, the desire to have a cigarrete suddenly amplifies as the brain connects that activity to the action of smoking. Breaking this chain of learned memories and reinforced behaviors can be a long process, and is one which adds another hurdle to quitting cigarettes.

A 2017 study from the Laboratory of Psychopharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in Brazil, on rats concluded that the results provide evidence for the disruptive effect of CBD on reconsolidation of contextual drug-related memories and highlight its therapeutic potential to attenuate contextual memories associated with drugs of abuse and consequently to reduce the risk of relapse.

-CBD Oil for Nicotine Withdrawal

CBD oil can activate the brain's receptor, which boosts the availability of serotonin  in a similar way to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants. CBD oil is also being researched as a potential aid in managing depression.So, CBD oil may help reduce the stress, anxiety, and irritability associated with attempts to quit smoking.

More than just elevating mood, CBD oil can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of quitting cigarettes. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, CBD oil may be able to reduce the headaches and other pains experienced when giving up nicotine.

Finally, people who find it difficult to go to sleep at night without a cigarette may find it easier to fall asleep with CBD oil. CBD oil has been found to help people reach and maintain restful, restorative sleep without the unwanted effects often associated with prescription sleep aids. And for those who need a cigarette to get moving in the morning, you’ll be relieved to hear that CBD oil, when taken in small doses, can have an energizing effect.

Everybody knows that the health benefits of quitting smoking, and all tobacco products, cannot be overstated no matter how many times you’ve tried.

While quitting smoking remains one of the hardest things to do, CBD may provide that edge that you need to finally give up your nicotine habit.