Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of CBD. The term is short for “Cannabidiol”, a type of Cannabinoid that comes from Cannabis. Cannabinoids interact with our bodies in very specific ways, triggering a response in our Endocannabinoid System. People use CBD for all kinds of ailments—from pain to arthritis to sore muscles and beyond. There may even be a chance that CBD can help with addiction.
Whether you’ve been smoking for years or just a few months, you’ve probably tried to quit at least once during your time. Most smokers will try dozens of times to quit in their lives, but nicotine is so addictive that it can keep you hooked for decades. Quitting cold turkey is about the least effective method for quitting, and most people find that they need help in one way or another.
CBD may be able to help you quit smoking. Let’s take a look at what it is, how it works, and what research is available to support its use.
CBD Isn’t The Same As THC
People often mix up CBD and THC because they both come from Cannabis. However, it’s important to note that the two are different in that CBD doesn’t interact directly with Cannabinoid receptors the way THC does, and CBD doesn’t produce the “high” that comes from marijuana use. Users that prefer CBD usually note this key difference as the reason they chose CBD instead—not to mention THC’s legal status.
Both THC and CBD come from Cannabis, but CBD is extracted from hemp, which is a strain of Cannabis that only contains 0.3% or less THC, as per federal guidelines. Recently, hemp was made legal at the federal level after decades of misinformation and criminalization. Since then, CBD products have exploded onto the market and created more buzz than anyone ever thought possible.
It’s estimated that the CBD market will be worth close to $20 billion within the next five years, and the demand for high-quality products continues to grow. The more we learn about CBD, the more we want of it.
CBD For Anxiety, Depression, and More
CBD offers some amazing benefits, but perhaps the most interesting of these is its ability to manage mental illness symptoms. Depression and other anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent among adults and adolescents, and it’s believed that at least one in five adults suffers from a mental health condition.
CBD has an amazing ability to increase a person’s serotonin levels, and a lack of serotonin is believed to cause depression and contribute to anxiety. CBD helps boost these levels, as well as help reduce anxiety all-around. Studies have been conducted and are currently being conducted to learn the extent of CBD’s benefits for mental health conditions.
What does this have to do with smoking? When you quit smoking, your anxiety will likely spike significantly. You may even feel depressed from the lack of nicotine. It’s a powerfully addictive chemical that your brain becomes dependent on, and when you remove it, the brain doesn’t know what to do with itself.
You’ll feel anxious, jittery, moody, and eager to alleviate your symptoms. This is where most people crack and just have another cigarette, but if you do that, you’ll have to start at square one. Instead, try using CBD gummies, like the ones from Verma Farms. A potent dose of CBD might be just the thing to alleviate your anxiety and other withdrawal symptoms.
Nicotine Addiction and CBD
Another promising study has shown that CBD can potentially help cessation efforts by reducing drug cue salience. This is the brain’s desire to satiate the need for the “drug” it’s missing. In this case, nicotine. The study shows promise, with CBD increasing the likelihood of tobacco abstinence in the participants.
This can mean that CBD is more effective than we thought. It doesn’t just help reduce the anxiety that comes with nicotine withdrawal, but may address the addiction at the source and prevent smokers in the cessation process from wanting a cigarette at all.
With so many options for cessation aids and tobacco alternatives like Black Buffalo, smokers are often overwhelmed with the sheer number of choices. Just remember that you don’t have to try anything that makes you uncomfortable, and not every product works the same way for everyone.
So, Should You Use It?
The question of whether or not to use CBD comes down to personal preference, but CBD does seem to be effective at helping with the cessation process. CBD also has few to no side-effects and is known to be safe for human use. What have you got to lose? The worst that can happen is that it does nothing for you and you simply stop taking it. Remember that CBD doesn’t work overnight—you have to build it up in your system over a few weeks’ time.