Quit smoking: Stop smoking with CBD?

Disclaimer:

In case you're wondering if CBD oil can help with quitting smoking, here's a little disclaimer:

CBD oil, unlike medical CBD used in studies, is regulated as a cosmetic in Germany. Since it cannot be sold as a dietary supplement due legal regulations, it should not be swallowed. In other countries such as the UK, however, CBD is already approved as a dietary supplement and can be consumed. To avoid confusion, we explicitly state that our statements refer to CBD in general and not to specific oils or products.

On the legal position of CBD in the Therapeutic Products Advertising Act:

There are numerous studies that provide evidence that CBD has various therapeutic properties and can provide support for many ailments. Since cannabidiol is currently covered by the Therapeutic Products Advertising Act, we are not allowed to make any therapeutic claims at this point. We would also like to point out that our products are not considered as medical preparations.

It is estimated that there are more than one billion smokers in the world. Many affected people long to finally be able to stop smoking. However, quitting smoking is a great challenge. The psychological and physical dependence makes it difficult to quit smoking. It usually does not help to appeal to one's health. So what can help people quit smoking? What tips are useful? And could CBD support smoking cessation? The following article aims to answer these questions.

Why quitting smoking is so difficult
Finding the right strategy to quit smoking
Quitting smoking: Natural aids
CBD as a smoking cessation aid
Summary: Quitting smoking with the help of CBD

The famous cigarette after a good meal is a cherished habit for almost all smokers. But cigarettes don't just come into play as an after-dinner treat or with a cup of coffee. When people are under stress, some reach for a cigarette or alcohol or perhaps both.

While some consumers do not want to give up their habit, others suffer from tobacco consumption and simply cannot give it up, even though they actually know that smoking endangers their health.

Why quitting smoking is so difficult

Smoking a cigarette or an e-cigarette is considered the most effective way to deliver nicotine into the body. The main active ingredient nicotine from the tobacco plant is a neurotoxin that can have both a relaxing and a stimulating effect. The effect depends, among other things, on the intensity of smoking. Small amounts of nicotine activate the nervous system, while higher amounts block certain processes so that relaxation occurs.

In addition, the subjectively experienced effect always depends on the situation. Thus, a cigarette can be experienced as calming in the case of stress and nervousness and as invigorating in the case of exhaustion.

Often it is not even the habit that triggers the desire to smoke or a nicotine addiction. Rather, in many cases, consumption is a way for many of those affected to deal with unpleasant sensations such as stress, tension or boredom.

In addition, the use of tobacco often fulfils a social function: if friends, acquaintances or colleagues in one's own environment smoke, it is difficult to give up cigarettes. All this makes it particularly difficult to quit smoking.

People who want to give up tobacco are usually afraid of withdrawal symptoms such as nervousness, aggression, sleep disorders, increased appetite and mood swings. It is not uncommon for the craving for a cigarette to become so unbearable that it is finally given in.

Finding the right smoking cessation strategy

The path to a smoke-free life can vary from person to person. Everyone has to try out for themselves which strategy works best, but at the beginning there should always be the firm will to want to stop smoking.

In order to overcome the addiction to tobacco, it is advisable to set a date from which smoking cessation will begin. From this date on, no more cigarettes are touched. Experience has shown that this cold turkey method is the most suitable for quitting smoking.

For heavy smokers, nicotine replacement therapy might be recommended as a transitional solution. There are various products available, such as patches, chewing gum or sprays, that contain the substance nicotine.

Craving for a cigarette - what to do?

The withdrawal symptoms are usually not long in coming and the craving for a cigarette increases in strength. This is because, on the one hand, the body lacks nicotine and, on the other, it is simply difficult to give up a habit. So if the urge to smoke arises, the following can help in quitting smoking:

• Smokers are advised to keep reminding themselves that giving up cigarettes promotes health and is not an abandonment.
• Smokers should refrain from buying cigarettes just to have them with them in case of emergency.
• Smokers should avoid situations in which they have previously reached for a cigarette.
• Instead of smoking a cigarette, chewing gum can be used, for example.
• Smokers should reward themselves for each day that nicotine is abstained from.

In addition, exercise and learning relaxation techniques can also help. Regular exercise provides distraction, can promote relaxation and can prevent possible weight gain.

Quit smoking: Natural remedies

Smoking is often much more than an addiction. Many people use smoking as a coping tool for stress and tension. While herbal remedies cannot fight addiction, they can be used in a supportive way. For example, lavender, lemon balm, hops, passion flower or valerian can have a calming effect on the body.

When looking for a product or substance that can help to quit smoking, many people automatically come across the non-intoxicating cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) from the hemp plant. But can CBD oil help with smoking cessation?

CBD as a support for smoking cessation

When the body absorbs cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD), they interact with the endocannabinoid system. This belongs to the nervous system and is involved in the regulation of various processes, such as pain, emotion, appetite, the immune system and inflammation.

The endocannabinoid system includes the cannabinoid receptors, which can be detected almost throughout the body, and the endocannabinoids. The endocannabinoids (cannabinoids that the body produces itself when needed) are similar to the cannabinoids from hemp.

Various studies provide evidence that endocannabinoids could play a role in reward and addictive behaviour. Many brain structures contain both cannabinoid receptors and nicotine receptors.

Researchers assume that influencing the endocannabinoid system with the help of cannabinoids such as CBD is promising for the treatment of nicotine addiction and relapse prevention.

Quitting smoking with CBD - interesting studies

Quitting smoking with CBD does not seem so far-fetched - several studies even point to this. In one study, 24 smokers were divided into two groups. All of them were given an inhaler and told to use it as soon as they felt the urge to smoke. For twelve participants, the inhaler contained only a placebo (dummy drug) and the other twelve participants inhaled cannabidiol (CBD). The participants did not know whether they inhaled the placebo or the CBD.

The results show that the number of cigarettes smoked in the CBD group decreased by 40 percent. In contrast, the number of cigarettes smoked did not decrease in the placebo group. Accordingly, the researchers concluded that CBD could be a potential treatment for nicotine addiction.

Nicotine withdrawal: alleviating symptoms with CBD

CBD for smoking cessation could also help relieve withdrawal symptoms. Researchers conducted an interesting study on this and divided nicotine-dependent rats into three groups. One group received CBD injections for a fortnight. The two control groups were injected with either sesame oil or table salt. During treatment, blood samples were taken regularly to determine nicotine and CBD concentrations.

During abstinence, the CBD-treated rats showed no signs of withdrawal or hyperalgesia (hypersensitivity to pain). According to the researchers, CBD could be beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Smokers who are "tired" of smoking and decide to kick the habit can use CBD to improve their overall well-being. This is because studies have already shown the anxiety-relieving and relaxation-promoting effects of CBD.

Summary: Quit smoking with the help of CBD

For some people, smoking a cigarette, for example with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee, is a pleasure. Still other people are occasional smokers and have no problem not picking up a cigarette for a long time. But for some people, the addiction to tobacco is a curse and a burden because they do not manage to quit smoking.

In addition to numerous helps and tips to fight addiction, smokers also have the option of using natural remedies such as cannabidiol (CBD). Various studies have shown that the endocannabinoid system is involved in many processes in the body, so taking CBD can modulate this. Smokers can also use CBD for support when they suffer from stress and anxiety.

FAQ

Why is it so hard to quit smoking?

Although almost everyone knows that smoking is harmful to health, smokers still find it difficult to give up nicotine. The reasons can be many and varied. On the one hand, smoking tobacco is physically addictive and many people are afraid of withdrawal symptoms. On the other hand, physical dependence should not be underestimated. For example, the desire to smoke can become so unbearable that many people simply do not manage to fight the addiction to tobacco.

How does CBD work in smoking cessation?

The exact effect of cannabidiol (CBD) in smoking cessation is not yet fully understood. Researchers assume that the cannabinoid not only has an effect on the cannabinoid receptors in the body, but also on the nicotine receptors. However, this interaction needs to be further explored in studies to find out exactly how the mechanisms work. CBD can, however, be used in a supportive way.

Can CBD alleviate withdrawal symptoms?

The cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) can have a calming and anxiety-relieving effect. If smokers suffer from withdrawal symptoms and get stressed during smoking cessation, taking CBD could be a help.