Can CBD Help Me Quit Smoking?

The Habit of Smoking

The main component in cigarettes is nicotine, a dopamine releasing drug that makes smoking pleasurable, reduces stress, and eases the feeling of anxiety. Nicotine also acts as a stimulant, able to help people concentrate. All these factors, combined with our human “pattern-creating” behaviours, create the enjoyable habit of smoking along with its unhelpful, destructive addiction.

Our brains also associate images, behaviours and scenarios with the habit of smoking. It’s the reason why seeing someone smoke on TV, having a certain drink, or a specific time of day can trigger the desire to smoke.

Quitting then creates the opposite effect during withdrawal, leading to:

• Increased stress
• Increased anxiety
• Lack of sleep
• Irritability

Quitting any long-term habit is difficult – adding negative withdrawals to quitting, often always requires help; which is why using CBD to quit smoking might bring a significant change at the solution.

“Only 4-7% of people are capable of giving up smoking in any given attempt, without medicines or some other form of assistance.” ~ American Cancer Society

The Healing Power of CBD

Smoking cigarettes has shown to create unhealthy habits. Popular quitting techniques include using nicotine patches/gum or replacing smoking with a different healthier habit. It’s why people go to such lengths to find out how to quit smoking.

CBD oil, as an alternative, has proven to help calm stress and anxiety without the debilitating negative habits of smoking. It’s non-addictive, natural properties and health benefits are taken from the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, with none of the withdrawals. So, what exactly is CBD?

What is CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis. It is derived from the hemp plant which is a cousin of the marijuana plant and accounts for up to 40% of the plant’s extract. This means hemp-derived CBD doesn’t get you “high”, as it only contains less than 0.3% THC content for all the positive health benefits without the body load and mind-altering effects.

How CBD Neutralises Smoking?

CBD works because it creates the opposite effect of smoking.

Nicotine Disruption: The nicotine in cigarettes triggers serotonin, which is what creates the pleasure and calmness when smoking; it helps to stabilize the mood. CBD helps by triggering the 5-HT1A receptor, responsible for boosting serotonin better, reducing nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Smoking Less: Certain mental and environmental factors can trigger the desire to smoke. However, a study using CBD-infused inhalers as replacements for cigarettes, concluded with a 40% reduction in cigarettes smoked. Inhaling a dose of CBD calmed the craving of nicotine, without creating a new habit in using CBD.

CBD Health Benefits: CBD acts as a stimulant, promoting rest, healing and rejuvenation. It has calming effects that relieve anxiety, pain, stress and depression. It also acts as an inhibitor to stress.

While there still needs to be deeper research towards how CBD can help quit smoking, the current results show favour towards a CBD solution. After all, it replaces the toxic components of smoking with a natural alternative, desire removes the stress/anxiety triggers of old habit, and offer a non-addictive, stress relieving alternative.

The Lifepen Solution

During the rise of vape products, studies rose to conclude that the similarity between vaping and smoking could compensate for the habit of smoking. Combined with CBD’s positive effects, vaping CBD oil gives the bonus of removing the habit, and the trigger of smoking.

Lifepen offers CBD vape pen products based on illustrious cannabis strains. Each CBD flavour profile offers various reliefs and effects to counter stress, anxiety, migraines, and various distresses. Lifepen flavours have a distinct taste, creating an authentic cannabis experience with each puff.

Explore Lifepen strain profiles for more information on flavours, effects, and what pains each strain helps to alleviate.

CBD responses and reactions do differ between individuals, but CBD oil could be the catalyst needed to stop smoking. There have been many positive responses to using CBD to quit smoking, so why not give it a try.