The CBD industry is a relatively new market and it is booming like the gold rush in Alaska. Everyone is touting that CBD is the thing that will help you and it can be a bit overwhelming to know who to listen to, what to believe, and where to begin getting the information that you seek. There is a plethora of information out there and there are about as many products on the market with CBD in them as well. Getting good information and thoughts on proper sources for your information is the goal today, so we can answer this question in the best way.
Background on CBD
CBD stands for cannabidiol. CBD is a phytocompound. Phyto is the scientific word for ‘plant’ and therefore a phytocompound is a compound that comes from a plant. CBD is extracted from the hemp plant, which is a totally different plant than the one marijuana buds come from. They are both in the cannabis family and this seems to confuse a lot of people. Hemp doesn’t have as much THC in it. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that causes people to get high. Having less to begin with, makes it easier to extract and separate the CBD from the THC.
In the final product, CBD must contain less than .03% THC. CBD cannot make you high. CBD will not, in most cases, cause a failed drug test though it is possible with large doses – it would take a lot. CBD is a natural product and CO2 extraction methods ensure that it is not tainted with chemicals of any sort. There are other extraction methods out there that may leave traces of chemicals that are used to bind the CBD to pull it out of the plant matter. When shopping for CBD, if this matters to you, you should look for a CO2 extracted version of CBD. This ensures that all you get is CBD oil and nothing further.
CBD was legalized in 2017, across the United States and many countries around the world have also legalize the use and production of the products. Please, be careful when traveling with CBD outside of the US to check carefully for the laws at each airport you’ll be at. If you find yourself in the wrong country, with CBD in your possession, it potentially could be an arrestable offense on their soil.
CBD is also in marijuana and it is the active ingredient that helps with pain, metabolism, ADHD, autism, migraines and more. CBD helps with gastrointestinal issues of all sorts as well. Those with Crohn’s disease have found CBD and marijuana to be helpful to them. CBD has none of the impacts of the THC, which makes it a more reasonable choice for those who don’t wish to suffer the sensation of being high or not in total control. Others may simply live in states that have not yet legalized the use of medical marijuana, leaving them with CBD as the best option.
Every day, behind the scenes, scientists are working hard to collect more data and do more research on the ways that CBD can help chronic conditions and pain. There is much hope for CBD to find more ways within the medical community to assist those in need and perhaps as a gateway to finding cures for conditions in the future.
How Does CBD Work in My Body?
To fully grasp whether CBD can help with smoking, it will be of great importance to know how it works. If we know all the things that happen within the body, we can know what happens to cause changes and reactions within the body. CBD in the body is a process of chemical reactions and neural pathway responses that all happen to affect change.
First, we must help you understand all about the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). The ECS was discovered in 1991. As you can imagine, this wasn’t all that long ago as far as research and study is concerned. More is being learned continuously but let us discuss all that is known so far:
- The ECS is made of receptors around the body. These receptors can intercept messages along the neural pathways within the nervous system. The ECS produces cannabinoids within the human body. That is correct – the human body manufactures its own cannabinoids. These are made up of lipids, specifically those of the omega fatty acids that are so important to the body.
- There are two types of receptors in the ECS. CB1 and CB2 are the names given to these receptors that bond with the cannabinoids we produce. It just so happens that other cannabinoids, when introduced to the body, can also bind with these receptors. CB1 receptors are located mostly within the brain and THC prefers to bond with these. This is what makes THC psychoactive. Some of it can bond with CB2 but a miniscule amount. CBD, on the other hand, binds with the CB2 receptors which are dispersed around the body and in the gut region. Hence the reason it helps with gut issues and with pain.
- When CBD enters the body and binds with the CB2 receptors, lipids are formed that travel along the neural pathways and intercept messages the body is sending to the brain. When excessive signals are sent that could be anything from pain to negative thought patterns, CBD works to intercept and destroy. Thereby decreasing pain, diminishing problematic symptoms of chronic conditions and more.
This is a general overview that gives you most of the information that you need to know in respect to your cigarette smoking or tobacco use. CBD can intercept the signals of craving. Studies done on lab rats has shown that rats purposely addicted to opioids are able to reduce their desire for the drugs with CBD. CBD can curb the withdrawal symptoms of virtually everything tested so far. There is a great deal of speculation that CBD products could help replace methadone clinics and assist people with getting clean of heroine and cocaine.
Withdrawals from nicotine can cause irritability, upset stomach, headaches and more. CBD is a known remedy for all those things, as well as being able to stop cravings. It is highly likely that CBD can help you stop smoking or quitting nicotine altogether. Many other things are the market to help are addictive, contain nicotine in small doses and act like a step-down program. CBD can help you do this on your own, far more naturally. No pills, no patches and no hassle, CBD is easy to purchase and less costly than patches, gum and other products that are simply replacing one addiction with another.
CBD is not addictive whatsoever. You can stop using CBD oil at any time and your body will not experience any withdrawal symptoms. You will not feel horrible if you stop using CBD products, although you may notice that you enjoyed the enhanced moods or the mental clarity you had while using CBD. A lot of people elect to continue using CBD products simply because they enjoy more energy and a better quality of life. Essentially, CBD becomes a daily supplement that is not harmful and has many benefits aside from helping you to stop an addiction of any sort, including cigarettes.
Products
There are many ways of taking CBD and one of them that may appeal to a cigarette smoker is vaping. You can buy what is the equivalent of disposable CBD cigarettes by purchasing one-time use vaping pens that are preloaded with set amount of CBD in them. In this way, you know exactly what dose you are taking if this is important to you. Additionally, you can purchase multi-use vaping pens and then purchase flavored vaping oils with CBD infused in them. These won’t smell like CBD oil and allow you to vape along with the rest of the people who have become crazy about vaping. You can also have a bit of anonymity if you choose to because no one needs to know you are using CBD oil in your vape pen to stop smoking.
If you are not wanting to vape, there are other alternatives to your intake methods. Using oil by the dropper-full is a popular method and can be taking orally in that way or added into drinks or foods of your choice. This is extremely popular to people that are not crazy about the taste of CBD oil. You will notice a flavor similar to that of marijuana, as well as odor. Some oils are extracted and separated from the terpenes and flavonoids that cause the smell and taste, so if this is an issue for you, search those out.
CBD Creams can be absorbed through the skin, but they are slow acting. If you are having a craving, you are going to want to get CBD in your system faster than that. There are tons of products made with CBD but not all of them are likely to be a wise choice when you are battling a craving that can come over you quickly. Cravings are often triggered by events around you. For example, smokers have always enjoyed a smoke with their coffee, or a smoke after sex. You know that you’ll have this craving so having CBD in your system as quickly as possible at those times is prudent. Vaping is the fastest way to absorb it into your blood stream, so it begins to work. Under the tongue drops is the next fastest method.
Consuming your oil can be done with or without food but will hit your blood stream fastest on an empty stomach. Edibles with CBD include baked goods and candies, such as gummies that are quite popular. These are also things that you can have in your desk at work and take as you need without explaining to people that you are taking medication. If you worry that people will ask for one, keep a small basket of regular ones in your drawer so you can grab that for co-workers, and no one will be any wiser as to what you’re up to.
Purchasing products is relatively simple. There are thousands of websites that are now dedicated to selling and shipping CBD products. You can do a quick search, look at some sites and check the information that they have for you. Many sites will have blogs, research links, notes about products, product reviews and letters from users attesting to how the products help them. There should also be third-party lab results available for their products that prove that the THC levels are at or below .03% as required. These lab tests will generally have other information available to let you see the concentrations of CBD in the products, where products were sourced from (where were the hemp plants grown) and more. Make sure you purchase products only from the United States. Those CBD products coming from China have been tested and are known to contain contaminants and possibly could be very harmful to you. Don’t choose something cheap, but you don’t necessarily need to spend hundreds either. For example, the gummies can often be found for less than twenty-dollars and they are quite tasty.
Is It Really Safe?
The oil extracted from hemp is a plant-based product that is safe and natural. You cannot overdose on CBD oil, but you could get sick if you used too much too quickly. Start with a lower dose is always the best advice. If you did take too much at once, you are likely to have some diarrhea, possibly a headache and stomach cramps. If you experience these, stop your doses for 24 hours and then start again with a lower dose. The symptoms will go away, and you can gradually taper back up as you need to.
CBD is so safe that there are products made for children, to help with ADHD and sleep problems. There are dog treats and tinctures made for dogs that help them with separation anxiety. You’ll find that CBD is nearly totally harmless, but with anything you should start slow and be mindful. If a child or animal were to get into CBD oil and consume a large dose, medical treatment may be necessary due to the side-effects that may become bad – like diarrhea.
Otherwise, few concerns are necessary. The only people who should consult a doctor and probably should not take CBD are those who currently are taking blood thinners. CBD can interact and cause issues with this medication and with the ability of blood to clot. Please, consult your physician if you have questions or concerns regarding this.
CBD will not cause liver damage or reduce kidney function. No one has ever ended-up on dialysis because of marijuana or CBD use. In fact, aspirin has more potential to cause damage to your body than CBD use does. Get all the facts and read as much as you can about the benefits of CBD. Take the time to learn the negatives as well – there aren’t many in all honesty.
CBD isn’t a miracle drug or a cure for anything, but it is a helpful tool for those who need to stop cravings and quit tobacco use. CBD is also full of omega fatty acids that we know are full of antioxidants that fight cancer-causing free radicals in the body. This is a double-dose of help for those who have exposed their bodies to the harmful chemicals in cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Many smokers are diagnosed with cancer several years after giving-up nicotine. You are at high risk for mouth, throat, and lung cancer. Lung tissue does heal and your cells there are replaced completely in approximately seven years. Your odds of beating any signs of cancer in the lungs are greatly improved after seven years. CBD oil has been shown to slow tumor growth and possibly fight off the start of cancer in lab rats. You may consider your use of the products as helping yourself two-fold. Smoking CBD cigarettes can be healthy for you and a preventative to cancer.
Nothing changes until you make the decision. Weigh your options and don’t just take this article as your sage advice. Follow links, research more information and start really thinking about everything that you allow inside of your body from this day forward. You can live a healthier life, be in a better mood, and not be dependent upon nicotine or any other drug if that is what you genuinely want. CBD can help make this all a reality for you, but not until you order some. Make sure you check with your city and county to ensure that there are no local ordinances against having CBD in your possession as there are a handful of places in the US that have banned the products due to a lack of understanding. These cases are in courts right now, being challenged.
Giving yourself the best possible chance of giving up nicotine and staying healthy is the best thing you could do for yourself and you can start today if you want to. Find a reputable dealer of CBD products and order something today, change your life and feel good about it.