Can Cannabis Help You Quit Smoking Cigarettes?
New research shows that the therapeutic properties of cannabis may be helpful in breaking a cigarette addiction and relieving symptoms of withdrawal.
The harmful effects of cigarette smoking are well known, yet millions of Americans still use cigarettes every day. Thankfully, there has been a decline in cigarette smokers in recent years as more and more people are able to quit smoking.
New research shows the potential for cannabis to be helpful to people when they decide to quit cigarette use and break their addiction. This article will cover the ways in which medical marijuana can assist you to quit smoking cigarettes and will give you the information on what cannabis products to use for the best results.
The Difference Between Cannabis and Cigarettes
Smoking cannabis is not the same thing as smoking cigarettes.
While both processes involve inhalation of a smoked substance, which can be harmful to the lungs, there is a vast difference in the chemical compounds that enter into your brain when smoked. When you smoke cannabis, chemical compounds called cannabinoids enter directly into your brain. Unlike cigarettes, there are usually no added man-made chemicals included in your medical marijuana.
Depending on the strain used there will be varying amounts of the compounds THC and CBD, the primary two cannabinoids responsible for the varying effects and benefits of medical marijuana. THC and CBD are able to bond with endocannabinoid receptors throughout your body to help modulate hormones, enzymes, and neurological processes.
When you smoke a cigarette, up to 600 different chemical compounds within that cigarette will enter the brain immediately. Most cigarettes are filled with harmful chemicals and toxic metals that have disastrous effects on the body, such as formaldehyde, vinyl chloride, arsenic, ammonia, nicotine, and many others.
At least 70 of the common chemicals added to cigarettes are known to cause cancer. No one has ever died from smoking cannabis, while up to 1300 people die daily in the US from smoking cigarettes.
Using Cannabis for To Break the Cycle of Addiction
Cannabis can mimic some of the effects of nicotine that users crave, such as feeling relief from stress and anxiety, wanting stimulation, and calming the mood and emotions.
Studies from the University of London have shown that cannabidiol, or CBD, is the most helpful component of cannabis that can support people as they quit smoking. This study demonstrated that smokers who used CBD inhalers whenever they felt the urge to smoke cigarettes were able to lower their consumption by 40%.
Smokers who are trying to quit often experience a moment of relapse called “memory reconsolidation” after a habitual action such as eating, going on a work break, or seeing others smoking will remind them of their urge to smoke. This study shows that CBD helps to disconnect the mind from the drug-reward associated memory and helps break the cycle of addiction while reducing the risk of relapse.
The key to this disconnection is to use CBD just after a moment of memory reactivation when the habitual urge is at its highest point. While more research is still needed, the studies suggest that replacing the habit of smoking cigarettes with smoking cannabis instead can be helpful in breaking the addiction cycle.
Cannabis Can Relieve Withdrawal Symptoms
Going through the withdrawal symptoms from cigarettes can be the hardest part of quitting, often causing users to relapse. Symptoms can include:
Nausea
Headaches
Anxiety
Irritability
Fatigue
Weight gain
Each of these symptoms can be addressed by using medical marijuana to help counter the effects of withdrawals.
When there is increased stress, irritability, and mood swings cannabis can help to bring stress relief and positive mood shifts. Cannabis has proven to be an effective anti-nausea medication for cancer patients during chemotherapy, as well as being a powerful anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. By interacting with our endocannabinoid system cannabis simulates our natural endocannabinoids and assists our body in sending signals from cell to cell.
The endocannabinoid system is involved with regulating many different basic functions of the human body, including:
Appetite
Metabolism
Mood
Sleep
Digestion
Reproduction
Immune functions
and more
Cannabis can be used to support endocannabinoid system functioning during nicotine withdrawal that assists in carrying out the normal functions of your body.
Using CBD to End Cigarette Addiction
Cannabis is helping many diverse addiction and dependence issues. People report that it can help end cravings and prevent relapse.
Studies have demonstrated that Cannabidiol, CBD, is able to interact with several of the neurotransmission centers that are connected to addiction responses and interaction. CBD can be found in small quantities in most kinds of cannabis, called strains. However, particular strains called “CBD-rich” or “High-CBD” strains contain potent concentrations of the non-intoxicating compound.
Common methods of ingesting CBD include smoking pre-rolled hemp cigarettes, eating CBD gummies or other edibles, capsules, and tinctures. Any of these methods taken at a regular daily dosage can help support your system during the process of withdrawal. Be careful not to over consume THC from cannabis, as the benefits of it may be reduced if you consume too much.
The most effective way to use any medical marijuana is to start slow, taking a puff or two when you feel the need to smoke a cigarette, and slowly building up if you need more until you feel your craving subside.
You may even find that you want to continue to use CBD or other medical marijuana products after you have quit smoking to continue supporting your body’s innate biological mechanisms of health and wellness.
Learn More About Medical Marijuana
We hope this information has been helpful to you in understanding another way that cannabis can help support good health.
If you or someone who know is experiencing withdrawals or needs help with ending an addiction, reach out to a dispensary near you to get connected with cannabis products that can help.
Thanks for reading our blog. We’d love to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts on cannabis, CBD, and quitting cigarettes in the discussion section below. You can learn more about the health benefits and risks of cannabis in our other blog posts.
Be sure to bookmark our site and connect with our fast-growing community on social media so you're always just a click away from more great cannabis content like this.