NEWSCan CBD Tame Tobacco Cravings?– New Studies On How CBD May Affect Cigarette Addiction
May 25 2022, Updated 3:52 p.m. ET
It’s getting more common to see CBD being sold as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes. You may have already seen “CBD hemp cigarettes” in gas stations, convenience stores, or online shops. People who visit hemp dispensaries or e-commerce sites have also probably seen CBD pre-rolls and vape juices.
While these CBD products may look similar to nicotine-containing items, they are full of cannabinoid-rich hemp rather than tobacco. Interestingly, many smokers believe using CBD hemp instead of tobacco will provide them with a “healthy” way to combat their cravings. Recent surveys suggest that 24 percent of Americans who use CBD do so to help get rid of their smoking habit. Even more impressive, over 40 percent of former smokers now use CBD instead of tobacco products.
However, just because people claim CBD helps with nicotine addiction doesn’t mean it’s genuinely effective…right? Is CBD just a “crutch” to get off of cigarettes, or does it positively affect nicotine cravings?
What Do Scientists Say About Swapping Cigarettes For CBD?
There aren’t dozens of studies analyzing CBD’s effect on tobacco addiction. However, one major clinical trial from University College London suggests CBD oil has a lot of potential for people who want to ditch their smoking addiction.
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In this small trial, 24 people who wanted to quit smoking were split into two groups. Half of these people were given an inhaler with CBD extract, while the others took a placebo. Researchers told everyone to use this device when they felt an overwhelming urge to light a cigarette.
For one week, the study authors tracked how many cigarettes each group smoked compared with their reported weekly averages. Interestingly, those in the CBD group took far fewer cigarettes than control subjects. In fact, the people who took the placebo inhaler didn’t show any significant decrease in their average cigarette use. By contrast, those who took CBD smoked 40 percent fewer cigarettes than usual.
Another study published by The Cannabis Radar also suggested CBD could be useful for people who want to overcome nicotine addiction. For this trial, researchers analyzed whether CBD helped reduce total cigarette use in a group of 700 people. According to this data, over 40 percent of people who took CBD oil whenever they felt an urge to use cigarettes had less likelihood of using tobacco. While this study didn’t include a placebo control, it took one month to complete.
While the data from these trials is impressive, please remember it’s all preliminary. It will take further research to fully understand how CBD affects addiction treatment.
So, Is CBD Viable For Smokers Struggling To Quit?
The official and anecdotal reports on using CBD for nicotine are positive, but smokers shouldn’t use CBD as a replacement for professional care. If you want to quit smoking, it’s best to do so with the help of a registered doctor or addiction specialist. As you’re putting together your addiction recovery program, ask a physician whether it’s OK to add CBD to your routine. Your doctor will know whether CBD works for your condition and when you should take this supplement.
Also, please triple-check that you’re getting the highest-quality CBD products if you want to use this cannabinoid. If you don’t see third-party lab tests with your CBD, it’s not a good option. Please click this link to see how Real Tested CBD analyzes CBD brands.
