Smoking is one of the most difficult addictions to overcome but could the use of CBD help those looking to quit? We look into further detail about how cannabidiol can be used as a quit smoking aide...

As it is Stoptober this month we felt it was important to look into the subject of Quitting Smoking with CBD. Stoptober is a month-long campaign in the UK designed to encourage smokers to quit the habit for a healthier future.

What is CBD?

CBD (Cannabidiol) is a natural component of the hemp plant and has shown to have multiple effects on the human body with therapeutic properties. Please read our 'What is CBD?' guide for further information.

CBD to Quit Smoking...

Quitting smoking isn't easy and despite the popularity in vaping (for nicotine) having done wonders for cessation, there are still a large number of smokers who have not been able to quit. Can the use of CBD help?

A study in 2013 [1] by researchers at University College London analysed a group of 24 participant smokers in a double-blind study. Half of the group were randomly given a CBD vaporizer and the others a placebo. They were instructed to use the vaporizer when they felt the urge for a cigarette, but were not instructed to quit or cut down. The 12 participants who used the vaporizer containing CBD had reduced in smoking by up to 40% whereas the other 12 with the placebo had no difference in the cigarettes smoked. After a follow-up, the researchers found some of the group who had used the CBD had maintained a reduction in smoking.

This prompted further research by UCL and in 2018 a study [2] was done on the prominence of drug cues being reduced by CBD, in this instance smoking. The double-blind study of 30 non-treatment seeking smokers was either given 800mg of CBD orally (CBD oil) or placebo in the morning after not smoking overnight.

Participants who had been given the 800mg dose had a reduction in the appeal of smoking when shown "cues". The cues for smokers were seen as to hugely ignite the need to smoke like the morning cup of coffee and a cigarette, drinking with friends at a bar, being around other smokers and talking on the telephone and other scenarios.

Dr. Tom Freeman, Kings College London Senior Academic Fellow said, "These findings suggest that cannabidiol has promise as a novel treatment for tobacco addiction. It might be particularly effective when abstinent smokers are exposed to cues that trigger relapse, such as when they are with a friend who lights a cigarette or in a particular place they associate with smoking.”

These two studies indicate that CBD could be used to aid smoking cessation going forward and we welcome more studies and research on this topic, especially as health chiefs predicted England could be smoke-free by 2030. [3]

If you are a current smoker or know someone who is attempting to quit then why not try to add some CBD into your lifestyle and discover if it works as a cessation for you. We sell a variety of CBD products, from CBD E-Liquids, to pre-filled CBD vape tanks, CBD oil and much more.

Come and discuss this topic further on our Forum with fellow CBD users.

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References:

[1] Addict Behav. 2013 Sep;38(9):2433-6. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.03.011. Epub 2013 Apr 1.

Cannabidiol reduces cigarette consumption in tobacco smokers: preliminary findings.

Morgan CJ1, Das RK, Joye A, Curran HV, Kamboj SK.

[2] Addiction. 2018 May 1. doi: 10.1111/add.14243. [Epub ahead of print]

Cannabidiol reverses attentional bias to cigarette cues in a human experimental model of tobacco withdrawal.

Hindocha C1, Freeman TP1,2, Grabski M1,3, Stroud JB1, Crudgington H1, Davies AC1, Das RK1, Lawn W1, Morgan CJA1,4, Curran HV1.

[3] 'Smoking will be eradicated by 2030 officials believe' Telegraph, 2018