Cannabidiol (CBD) was discovered 25 years before tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which was identified in 1964. However, CBD was not fully characterised until 1963 by Dr Mechoulam, using Lebanese hashish. Recently, we have heard accounts by people who say that they have cut down or even stopped smoking altogether after using CBD-based products. This post discusses different aspects of this phenomenon, which is just starting to gain traction.
The fact is that CBD has become a highly demanded product both in the dispensaries of the cannabis social clubs (CSC) and in shops open to the public which sell it in all parts of Europe, but there are still significant knowledge gaps. It is a repetition of the case of THC, where social normalisation has preceded (in this case, by several millennia) the emergence of scientific knowledge about the cannabinoid’s properties and effects. For example, there is still confusion about whether CBD is psychoactive or not. Yes, it is. Let’s explain what we mean by this.
A psychoactive substance is any substance that acts on the brain and leads to experiencing psychological effects. When CBD activates brain mechanisms, it has anxiolytic, anticonvulsant and anti-inflammatory effects. You may have heard that CBD is psychoactive, but it is not psychotropic like THC. In part, this sentence defines the difference between CBD and THC, but the problem is that “psychotropic” is a rather unscientific concept that comes from legal language and is often confused with something that is toxic or harmful to health, and, therefore, must be prosecuted. Thus the argument underlying the use of the drugs test with vehicle drivers.
As our esteemed readers already know, the purpose of the endocannabinoid system possessed by all animals (except insects) is to maintain the body’s homeostasis. We’re talking about controlling essential body functions, such as sleep cycles, stress response, blood pressure, body temperature, mood, memory, pain perception, and more. When someone takes CBD, it reduces dysfunctions of the all these processes.
It is interesting to know that CBD’s success owes itself in part to its low toxicity and high tolerability; in other words, its adverse effects – if any – are mild. What is more, CBD does not generate dependence, addiction or tolerance; therefore, there is no need to increase the dose. These two sentences should be put in context, as if CBD is consumed in buds and with tobacco instead of as drops, it definitely does have the side effects associated with these forms of consumption. By the way, when CBD is vaped or smoked, its effects last for about two hours.
If CBD buds are smoked instead of regular cigarettes, the person continues the habit of inhaling smoke, but without the physically addictive effect of nicotine. Obviously, burning organic matter with CBD will still produce tar and other substances that are harmful for the respiratory system, but it opens a window of opportunity for reducing nicotine consumption and perhaps later on, vaping CBD, using either the buds or a vaping liquid.
A small number of studies have been performed that assess CBD’s potential compared with smoking tobacco.
In 2018, a study sought to determine whether 800 mg of CBD could decrease dependence (physical addiction) on tobacco. In a group of 30 smokers, half of the group took CBD and the other half took a placebo. They were then showed photographs that made them want to smoke (beers, parties, other smokers) and the heart rate, craving, blood pressure and withdrawal symptoms were analysed. The authors concluded that a single dose of 800 mg of CBD could help reduce the unpleasant sensations induced in smokers by the images associated with smoking.
A study published in 2013 sought to explore the role of the endocannabinoid system in nicotine addiction. A total of 24 smokers were given an inhaler; half of the inhalers had CBD and the other half had a placebo. Participants were asked to use the inhalers whenever they felt the urge to smoke. After one week, the group that consumed CBD showed a 40% reduction in cigarette consumption, while the placebo group did not report any significant difference in the number of cigarettes they smoked.
Obviously, a lot of research still needs to be done to be able to talk with any certainty about CBD’s potential for reducing nicotine addiction and smoking. However, what the street evidence shows is that CBD’s anxiolytic effects offset some of the physical and psychological symptoms associated with nicotine withdrawal and smoking cessation, such as craving, headache, sleeplessness, lower heart rate, irritability or frustration, difficulty in concentrating and anxiety, increased stress and mood swings, etc. We’ll continue investigating.
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