Can CBD Help Smokers Quit?

Most smokers, when asked, will tell you they would love to quit. Maybe they have tried and relapsed, or the cravings just become too intense.

They have tried tobacco free pouches, gums, patches, and even hypnosis. Thankfully, this addiction is becoming easier to overcome with the introduction of CBD to mainstream markets.

The Struggle is Real

The National Institute of Drug Abuse conducted a study on smokers to determine the rate of quit attempts and success. They asked participants how many had attempted to quit and how many had succeeded. The findings revealed that 50 percent of smokers had made an attempt to quit within that year, but only six percent had achieved success. Interestingly, among the six percent who successfully quit, it was discovered that this was not their first attempt at quitting. For those looking to explore alternatives to chewing tobacco, it may be beneficial to shop alternatives for chewing tobacco that can aid in the quitting process.

Why is it so hard for people to be successful in leaving cigarettes behind them? Unlike addictions to other drugs, nicotine addiction impacts a person on an environmental, emotional, and cellular level. Humans are creatures of habits, and those are hard to break. Think of any routine for a person. It generally involves waking up, having a cup of coffee, and then they are off to work. Watch them struggle on a morning without their cup of joe first thing in the morning. The same happens for smokers. If they are used to waking up and having a cigarette with their coffee or on their drive, it is part of how they wake up every day. Our habits trigger our brain to remember what comes next during the day.

Now you get into the dependency issues, which is very similar to other street drugs. Nicotine and tobacco can completely reprogram your neurological system and how it responds to situations. For example, when you smoke, you create a spike in your dopamine levels. Therefore, your brain begins to think you cannot obtain this hormone without nicotine. The withdrawal kicks in within hours of when you finish your last cigarette. People who quit will generally immediately battle mood swings and anxiety.

How CBD Helps

If you have gotten this far, you are likely thinking to yourself that quitting is near impossible. Thankfully, researchers are finding ways to overcome the obstacles, and CBD appears to offer some answers. This natural chemical is found in cannabis plants and is known for helping battle anxiety. CBD also plays an important role in manipulating the neurotransmitters found in your body. These are the same transmitters that nicotine toys with, so CBD tricks your body into thinking it is receiving the harmful chemical. In turn, you naturally lose your desire to light a cigarette.

While studies are still being performed, results currently show that CBD lowers stress, relaxes people, assists with sleeping, and manages mood swings. As the withdrawal symptoms and habits are taken out of the picture, quitting permanently becomes an obtainable goal. The best aspect of CBD is researchers see an increased ability to focus on a patient’s daily life.

Best CBD Forms

Cannabis comes in many forms, but not all are ideal for kicking the smoking habit. The safest methods are with capsules, drops, or edibles (check out vermafarms.com/collections/cbd-gummies). The results will vary, so it is best to consult with a knowledgeable therapist about CBD and dosage. They will also be on hand with other resources to help change your habits and create healthy coping skills. While it is not a guaranteed way to permanently quit nicotine, research shows that the success rate is greater than any other method to date.