Everyone knows that nicotine is highly addictive and has a wide array of negative effects [1]. It’s also extremely hard to quit, so it’s no surprise that plenty of companies advertise products that claim to help with nicotine addiction. Anti-nicotine pills are all the rage these days, but they’re not always effective. If you’d like a more natural and less dangerous alternative, you should consider CBD oil. But what do you need to know about CBD and nicotine?
You might be surprised to learn that CBD can prove instrumental in your journey to quit smoking. It not only helps overcome nicotine dependence but also mitigates withdrawal symptoms. Before we get to those, though, let’s cover the basics of CBD and nicotine.
What Makes Nicotine So Addictive?
The answer to that question is simple: it causes our bodies to produce “feel good” hormones like dopamine. They’re what causes the natural “high” that reinforces our desire to do something, in this case — smoke.
How Is That Related to Addiction?
In order to understand addiction, we need to go over the above in a little more detail. As we already mentioned, when you smoke, chew, or vape a substance that contains nicotine, your brain receptors react and cause your body to produce dopamine.
In turn, dopamine causes a feel-good sensation, which reduces stress and helps you relax. Nicotine’s effect is, however, short-lived, so we chase that “high” again and again. It’s easy to see how that habit might grow into an addiction.
What makes nicotine even more addictive is the fact that our brain receptors can become “accustomed” to nicotine intake. If you form a habit of smoking after meals or immediately after waking up, for example, your brain receptors start expecting nicotine at that time. If you fail to supply it, you may experience mild to serious nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
How Can CBD Help With Nicotine Addiction?
Although research on this subject is still in its infancy, there are studies that prove [2] that CBD’s anti-psychosis and antidepressant properties can help with addiction.
Additionally, preliminary research on how CBD helps with nicotine addiction shows that people smoked 40% fewer cigarettes when they used CBD whenever they got the urge to smoke. More recent research proves that smokers had an easier time refraining from nicotine after taking CBD. The same research suggests that CBD mitigates the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
What might be the reason behind that? Well, for starters, CBD has anti-anxiety and antidepressant properties that give us the same “relaxed” feeling as nicotine. The difference between CBD and nicotine is that the former is not addictive or bad for your health.
A Word of Caution
Before taking CBD, you should consult a physician with cannabis knowledge, especially if:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You suffer from a medical condition or are on other medication.
The Best CBD Products to Help With Nicotine Addiction
Royal CBD Full Spectrum Oil
First on our list is Royal CBD’s Full Spectrum CBD Oil. It’s potent enough to help you relax and improve your sleep without being too overbearing. That, along with its mild, natural taste, makes it perfect for first-timers. With this product, you get similar effects to nicotine, with none of the drawbacks.
Read more: Top CBD Oil Products for Crohn’s Disease
Gold Bee CBD Gummies
If smoking makes you hungry (or you’re trying to quit smoking by snacking on something instead), this one’s for you. The Gold Bee Vegan CBD Gummies are the best and most delicious weapon against nicotine addiction. What’s more, they are 100% vegan and are sourced from farm-grown, non-GMO hemp. They are also discreet and portable enough that you can take them pretty much anywhere.
Read more: Top CBD Oil Products for Kids
NuLife CBD Softgel Capsule
The NuLife CBD Full Spectrum CBD Softgel Capsules are a convenient way to keep the urge to smoke at bay whenever it strikes. They are extracted from 100% organic hemp, and each capsule contains 25 mg of CBD. Their packaging makes them extremely convenient, as you don’t need to worry about dosage or the bottle leaking.
Gold Bee CBD Honey Sticks
Here’s another one for all the smokers with a sweet tooth out there. Gold Bee’s CBD Honey Sticks combine the healing power of CBD with the sweet taste of honey. Like all of the company’s products, these CBD honey sticks contain only 100% organic hemp and pure Brazilian rainforest honey. In addition to helping with nicotine addiction, the sticks are also great antioxidants and immunity boosters.
Pure Kana Mint CBD Oil
If honey’s sweet taste is not your thing, this product might be more to your liking. The Pure Kana Mint CBD Oil is made from organic, pesticide-free hemp, and is manufactured without using chemical solvents. For every ½ dropper, you get 25 mg CBD, and it comes in a 1000 mg bottle. Its rich, minty taste makes it the perfect addition to any beverage, though it also tastes great on its own.
In Conclusion
As any smoker can confirm, quitting is extremely difficult. It’s certainly not impossible, though! And while most “anti-smoking” pills are little more than a marketing gimmick, there are some products that can help. CBD is a great natural alternative to nicotine — and a non-addictive one to boot. Now that you know everything you need to know about CBD and nicotine, it’s time to start your smoke-free journey.