Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, has many potential benefits. Studies have shown that CBD can relieve anxiety, reduce pain, decrease excessive inflammation, and offer neuroprotective qualities, among other things. As more studies have been conducted on CBD, we learn even more things that CBD can do, including the possibility of helping people quit smoking tobacco. Some recent studies have shown that the effects of CBD could help tobacco smokers to quit smoking. It has led to an increase in CBD products being marketed to smokers trying to quit including CBD cigarettes. The same claim is given on hemp cigarette boxes. But can CBD cigarettes or other CBD products really help you quit smoking? Let us take a closer look at CBD cigarettes and what current research says about using CBD as a smoking cessation tool.
What are CBD cigarettes?
CBD cigarettes, also known as hemp cigarettes, are cigarettes filled with hemp rather than tobacco. Hemp cannabis plants are rich in CBD but contain little or no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is a cannabis cannabinoid responsible for its psychoactive effects. It means that hemp cigarettes offer a lot of CBD without being intoxicating. Note that hemp does not contain nicotine either, so CBD hemp cigarettes do not contain nicotine.
Research on using CBD to quit smoking
Some people say that CBD cigarettes can help tobacco smokers quit by providing a nicotine-free replacement that looks and feels like a regular cigarette. It could certainly be helpful for someone trying to quit, but studies suggest that the CBD in CBD cigarettes can help smokers quit in many other ways as well. There is evidence that CBD can reduce cigarette cues, reduce nicotine cravings, and reduce certain addictive behaviors.
CBD and neutralized cigarette signals
One of the many challenging aspects of quitting is fighting cigarette cues that trigger the urge to smoke. Cigarette signs can appear everywhere when you are trying to quit smoking. For example, someone might feel the urge to smoke whenever they would have smoked during their daily routine, when they remember smoking somewhere or with someone, or when they see a character smoking on a television show.
A 2018 study found that oral CBD can help tobacco cigarette smokers experience fewer smoking triggers by neutralizing their response to cigarette cues. In this study, published in the journal Addiction, researchers told 30 tobacco smokers not to smoke for 12 hours, then gave some participants a single dose of 800 mg of CBD oil and the others a placebo. At the end of the 12-hour withdrawal period, the researchers found that CBD oil reduced the prominence and liking of cigarette cues in the CBD group. They also found that systolic blood pressure levels decreased in the CBD group.
CBD and reducing nicotine cravings
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, so tobacco smokers may face strong cravings for nicotine when quitting smoking. But there is some evidence that inhaling CBD can reduce cravings and help smokers reduce their cigarette use.
In 2013, a team of researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial aimed at evaluating how the required intake of CBD affected smokers who wanted to quit smoking cigarettes. Half of the study group received a CBD inhaler, while the other half received a placebo inhaler, and each participant was told to use their inhaler when they felt the urge to smoke. For a week, the placebo group showed no difference in the number of cigarettes they smoked. The CBD inhaler group, on the other hand, saw a significant reduction. In this way, smoking can be reduced by 40% fewer cigarettes on average. The results indicated that the results of the CBD inhaler group also held up somewhat at a later follow-up.
The researchers who conducted this 2013 study wrote that these findings indicate that CBD could be a potential treatment for nicotine addiction. They theorized that CBD helps reduce cigarette intake by acting as a weak agonist of receptors for the endocannabinoid CB1 system in the brain. They also suggested that CBD could reduce cigarette intake by inhibiting the FAAH enzyme, which could indirectly reduce nicotine’s stimulating properties. Custom printed CBD boxes are the best option for packaging Hemp cigarettes with customization.
CBD and the fight against addiction
Some scientists theorize that CBD may reduce the symptoms of addiction in general, as several studies suggest that this cannabinoid may reduce the symptoms associated with addiction. For example, some studies suggest that CBD can reduce impulsive behavior and certain drug-seeking behaviors. There are also many studies showing that CBD can reduce anxiety and stress, both risk factors for addiction relapse.
How to use CBD cigarettes to quit smoking?
There is some evidence to suggest that the effects of CBD can help tobacco smokers quit, so how do you use CBD cigarettes to quit smoking?
Not enough studies have been done on CBD cigarettes for smoking cessation to recommend its use alone. If you want to quit smoking and also want to try CBD cigarettes, you can replace them with CBD cigarettes, but you may also want to combine this action with a plan to quit smoking.
Medical experts say that planning to quit smoking can help improve your chances of quitting for good. Deciding to quit smoking can help you prepare to handle cravings and set clear expectations for yourself while helping you stay motivated and ensure you have a strong support system. Essentially, planning to quit smoking sets you up for success by helping you prepare for obstacles and difficulties.
