Stoptober: Can Vaping CBD Help You Quit Smoking?

The legal cannabis compound CBD has countless purported health benefits.

Some people use it for pain, others for anxiety. It has even been approved on the NHS for the treatment of epilepsy.

But what about helping individuals quit smoking?

If you’re a regular on the expo circuit, you may remember a time when CBD was barely heard of among vapers.

But all that changed a couple of years ago and now CBD e-liquids are a staple of expos all around the world.

While many people use cannabis deriative for the aforementioned medical uses, others turn to it to help them stop smoking.

The findings from a 2013 study suggest that CBD for smoking cessation more than just hot air.

Cessation Potential

Researchers at University College London (UCL) conducted a randomised double-blind placebo controlled study to assess the effectiveness of CBD as a smoking cessation aid.

In the pilot study, 12 smokers were given an inhaler of the drug and 12 given a placebo.

The smokers were instructed to use the inhaler any time that they felt the urge to smoke.

Over the course of the week, there was no change in cigarette consumption among the placebo group.

However, smokers in the CBD group reduced their cigarette consumption by around 40 percent.

The researchers concluded:

“These preliminary data, combined with the strong preclinical rationale for use of this compound, suggest CBD to be a potential treatment for nicotine addiction that warrants further exploration.”

The next study will use brain imaging to assess brain activity patterns to help researchers understand how the CBD works to ease cravings.

Limitations

While the act of consuming CBD via an inhaler and with a vape are similar, they are not one and the same.

The researchers also used a pharmaceutical-grade product which would be much more pure than an e-liquid that you find in a high street vape shop.

The Wrap

Conventional nicotine vaping has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to quit smoking tobacco.

However, some others may wish to stop using nicotine as soon as possible for whatever reason.

While it’s unlikely that CBD e-liquid will replace the nicotine variety any time soon, early research suggests that inhaled CBD promise as an ally in the fight against smoking.

Image by tomkohhantsuk from Pixabay