Can CBD help you quit smoking?

Whether it’s cigarettes, joints or bongs, there is no denying that smoking/combusting all day, every day is not ideal for your health. The idea of quitting can be a scary prospect, with cravings, irritability, heightened stress and even headaches being just some of the negative effects facing you, however with the wealth of new vaping and CBD products on the market there might just be a new way to satisfy your cravings for daytime smoking.

Quitting tobacco does comes with its own physical withdrawals, however it is no secret that for a seasoned smoker, who is used to lighting up a joint and chilling out whenever they see fit, that reducing or totally stopping daytime cannabis use will come with many of the same withdrawal triggers and feelings associated to quitting tobacco. Many of the issues with quitting don’t come from the actual physical withdrawal symptoms themselves but more from the daily routines that become tied into smoking; smoking with a coffee, smoking after food, anxiety relief, taking a break from work or even the physical act of rolling a cigarette or joint can all become the cause of cravings. Replacing these non-physical cravings has traditionally been a struggle for nicotine replacement solutions, which often come in the form of gum, inhalers and patches, whereas cannabis smokers struggle to find something that can replace the taste of cannabis, without actually getting them high. Many cannabis smokers often crave the flavour of a joint but don’t actually want to spend their whole day high. This is where high strength CBD distillate cartridges have taken the market by storm.

Although research is limited, there have been two recent studies into the effects of CBD on nicotine withdrawal.The first study took place in 2013, with a double blind test giving 12 smokers a CBD inhaler and another 12 receiving a placebo inhaler. The study found that those who received the CBD inhaler were able to reduce their cigarette intake by 40%, whilst those in the placebo group showed no reduction. The second study took place in 2018 and asked participants to abstain from smoking overnight. One group was given a single 800mg oral dose of CBD, whilst the other group were given a placebo. The study found that whilst cravings and withdrawals were not directly reduced in the CBD group, it did reduce the salience and pleasantness of nicotine ques as compared to the placebo group. Whilst more evidence is still needed and the trial groups were only small, the results do show that CBD can certainly have an effect on the desire to smoke. (hyperlinks to studies).

CBD has been shown to work on the 5ht serotonin receptor, which affects the release of serotonin (the feel good chemical) in your body. In a similar way to antidepressants, CBD can trigger an increase in serotonin, leading to a heightened mood and a decrease in cravings.

The high strength CBD distillate cartridges that we stock are, in our opinion, the best products for curing the urge to smoke. Tinctures can also be great for those looking for a total non-smoking or vaping alternative, however the vape cartridges provide a flavourful hit, which is in many ways comparable to the flavour of a joint, helping to ease those cravings to smoke something tasty. Our cartridges are infused with either natural or cannabis/hemp derived terpenes (flavours), which is why they can be really helpful in cannabis craving reduction. Terpenes themselves actually add to the cannabis high, in something known as the entourage effect and so adding these to your daily routine can definitely help reduce those day time smoking cravings.

Willpower and an actual desire to quit are realistically the most important factors when stopping any substance. If you don’t truly want to quit then it is unlikely to happen, especially in the long term, however aids to help you with the battle are always welcome and at Greenhaus we have found high strength CBD to be the perfect companion for quitting. We recommend using a tincture in the morning, with support from a CBD distillate vape throughout the day.

Daily CBD routines at Greenhaus

At Greenhaus we believe that smokers, who are truly looking to quit will benefit from our higher strength CBD products, in an aim to ingest the maximum amount of CBD available per dose. As such, we have detailed below what we believe to be a great daily combination to help ease those cravings.

Apothem Lights Out CBD Drops (1000mg)

Apothem’s highest quality CBD tincture helps you wind down at the end of the day. Apothem’s formula blends the highest quality CBD with l-theanine, chamomile, and 5-htp botanics; with a vanilla, cardamon and caramel taste to promote a peaceful nights sleep. The product was awarded the best CBD sleep drops by the Beauty Shortlist Awards in 2021.

High Kind Limited Edition 510 Thread Cartridge

The High Kind 510 thread limited edition vape cartridges is the connoisseur’s choice and has been our personal Greenhaus favourite from the first time we tried the products. Each cartridge contains the distilled cannabis oil from 5g of CBD hemp flowers and the vapour distilled terpenes from 2.5 grams of Premium, Grade A Cannabis Flowers. With 250mg of CBD, 60% total cannabinoids and the only cartridge to feature real cannabis terpenes, it is easy to see how these cartridges can really help to cure your cravings.

Oto CBD Sleep Drops (1500mg)

It is normal for quitting smoking to interrupt your usual sleeping patterns. If you are finding yourself restless and struggling to sleep then we would recommend taking a high strength, tailor made CBD sleep solution, such as the Oto product listed above. The solution comes complete with 1500mg of high quality CBD, designed with specific botanicals to help maintain your natural sleep cycle. Oto also even offers a high strength pillow mist, which contains 1600mg of CBD, blended with 11 calming botanicals, to be sprayed on your pillow before you go to bed.