New Year, new you – everyone attempt to do a personal make-over with resolutions. The most popular include:
Improve fitness.
Improve finances.
Lose weight
Make more time for loved ones
Stop smoking
The 5th one is very common, since millions still smoke cigarettes, unfortunately it is also one of the hardest to keep. Tobacco is one of the top causes of heart disease and cancer and causes a variety of lung ailments. In the U.S. alone, more than 40 million adults have a nicotine addiction. Worse yet, tobacco addiction therapies don’t seem to be efficient, for the most part.
Smoking cessation drugs don’t bring assured results in the long run. But there is a promising solution to this problem. CBD (cannabidiol) is an active ingredient derived from the hemp plant and widely used for medical purposes today. So can it cope with tobacco addiction? How to quit smoking cigarettes with the help of CBD oil? Read further to find all this out.
Is CBD Addictive?
As most of us know, smoking marijuana leads to addiction. Is CBD addictive then? In reality, it’s not. Cannabidiol belongs to non-toxic cannabis ingredients and doesn’t alter your brain function. Therefore, you can’t develop a CBD addiction. Additionally, cannabidiol can alleviate the psychoactive effects of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the main active ingredient of recreational marijuana.
How CBD Helps You Quit Smoking
Photo by Michal Wozniak via Unsplash
1. CBD Battles Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms
Nicotine is as addictive as hard drugs like cocaine. That’s why it’s so hard to quit smoking. Once you try to cease this deadly habit, you will face an almost impenetrable barrier of withdrawal symptoms. It’s not just the urge for another cigarette. Tobacco withdrawal develops within several days and involves headaches, increased appetite and irritability, anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure, and depression.
The worst part is that you may feel this nightmare for weeks. If it was easy to withstand this period, smoking would not become a global concern.
So how can CBD help you overcome nicotine addiction? The matter is that CBD regulates the sleep/wake cycle, pain, mood, and satiety. It combats headaches, promotes restful sleep, and regulates blood pressure. Given that, CBD can relieve some physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, helping you get through this period without much struggle.
2. CBD Cigarettes Can Ease Tobacco Cravings
You pull out a cigarette from the pack, light it, and take a peaceful, long, and warm puff. You have been doing this for years, day after day. Stopping this is unimaginable: this ritual is engraved in your mind. It’s a part of your identity. But you could try a CBD cigarette instead of a regular one if you feel a desperate urge to smoke. It can become your first step toward overcoming tobacco addiction. Additionally, CBD prevents most nicotine withdrawal symptoms from devastating your body and mind.
Therefore, you can preserve the smoking habit while replacing regular cigarettes with a much healthier alternative. It’s much easier to quit smoking this way than just bring a sudden drastic change to your routine.
Photo by Irina Kostenich via Unsplash
3. CBD Helps You Relax
Cannabidiol has evident, well-studied anxiolytic properties. Both animal and human studies show that CBD reduces anxiety equally to diazepam, a common sedative drug. For instance, CBD brings relief to people with public speaking anxiety. Also, cannabidiol shows immense efficiency against post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
All in all, it’s a powerful stress-relieving supplement that will help you cope with panic attacks and depression resulting from smoking cessation.
4. CBD Reduces Cigarette Consumption
Researchers revealed a direct dependence between CBD intake and cigarette consumption. Thus, a study showed that tobacco-dependent individuals reduced cigarette consumption by an impressive 40% while taking CBD. Furthermore, CBD minimizes the pleasure of smoking cigarettes. In other words, nicotine won’t give you that pleasure if you take CBD.
Another study has shown smokers who took CBD felt less motivated to smoke cigarettes.
Under this trial, 30 smokers took 800 mg of CBD after overnight cigarette abstinence. The participants reported that they felt less pleasure from watching other people smoking. In other words, it was easier for the participants to ignore cigarette stimuli.
As for cigarette cravings and withdrawal, there was no significant difference between CBD and placebo treatment whatsoever.
However, researchers investigated short smoking abstinence periods (11 hours). It’s an insufficient time for the most physical nicotine withdrawal symptoms to occur. It might be a possible reason for such observations on CBD efficiency against tobacco withdrawal within this study.
Photo by an dooley via Unsplash
How to Take CBD for Tobacco Addiction
So, as we’ve found out, CBD helps you quit smoking. But how to take cannabidiol to overcome nicotine addiction? Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Choose High-Quality Products
There is one rule you should always follow: buy CBD cigarettes, tinctures, vape oils, and other products from reliable and reputable brands. For this, you have to check:
The THC content in each product. It must be less than 0.3%.
The hemp source. Prioritize brands with in-house hemp fields in the US or Western Europe.
Certifications and drug tests. It’s always better to choose certified products that meet the US hemp cultivation standards and undergo regular third-party lab tests.
Adjust CBD Doses Gradually
‘How much CBD should I take to combat my tobacco addiction?’, you may ask. The accurate dosage depends on your metabolism, weight, and the intensity of cigarette withdrawal complications like headaches, poor sleep, high blood pressure, etc.
Thus, you should consult your practitioner to decide on the initial dose and increase it slowly for better results. You can start with 12-15 mg of CBD per day to see how your body reacts to cannabidiol. If such a dose works fine for you, you can begin taking more CBD to reduce salience of cigarette stimuli.
CBD can become a viable solution for cigarette quitters. First, cannabidiol fights several tobacco withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and high blood pressure. Second, it helps you ignore cigarette cues. Third, CBD cigarettes can become a temporary healthy alternative to regular cigarettes on your way to smoking cessation.
Finally, CBD reduces stress, helping you cope with the emotional pressure. Given that, CBD is your option to break the suffocating chains of addiction and breathe freely in all senses of this word.
Price: $55/a package of thirty gummies (1500mg CB total)
If there are two things that I generally avoid when it comes to CBD gummies, it’s THC-free products and a Tropical Punch flavor. Yet against the odds, the good folks at Colorado’s Extract Labs have crafted a fully THC-free Tropical Punch gummy that has quickly become one of my favorite CBD products of all time.
CBD products tend to work most effectively when they contain trace amounts of naturally-occurring THC (0.3% is the legal limit) and other cannabinoids. Yet for low-tolerance consumers like myself, even that little bit of THC can interfere with my ability to stay focused. Extract’s gummy—each one contains 50 milligrams of pure CBD—doesn’t do that. It calms the nerves and eliminates stress. Morning, noon, or night, it does exactly what I want it to do, and nothing more.
As for the flavor, I find that tropical punch gummies tend to taste like Kool-Aid—synthetic and overpowering. Extract’s tropical punch gummy, however, tickles your taste buds without walloping you with a monster sugar blast.
As you’ll notice, these gummies ain’t cheap. But in my book, they’re worth every penny.
Note: Since Extract Labs’ products contain less than 0.3% THC, you can legally buy them through their website and have them shipped to your home.
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Having a winter arc has become a fitness trend, here is how to take it up a notch by using marijuana.
The Winter Arc is a viral TikTok trend encouraging people to focus on health and wellness during the winter months. The trend is a self-improvement challenge that involves setting intentions and making changes to habits to get ahead on fitness and wellbeing goals. Incorporating marijuana into your winter arc can enhance your personal growth journey and help you navigate the colder months with greater ease and enjoyment. With shorter day and chilly temperatures, cannabis can be a valuable tool for relaxation, creativity, and self-improvement. Fitting marijuana into your winter arc routine can give you an extra boost.
Cannabis can be integrated into this process to help maintain focus and motivation. First, Dry January has a rival with California Sober. Gen Z has especially embraced the trend of replacing alcohol with cannabis. It is healthier and helps avoid weight gain.
Consider using sativa strains like Tangie or Lemon Haze to boost energy and creativity when tackling your objectives. These strains can be particularly helpful for morning routines, providing a lift to start your day on a positive note.
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For evening routines, indica-dominant strains like Northern Lights or Granddaddy Purple can aid in relaxation and stress relief. These strains can be excellent for winding down after a productive day, helping you reflect on your progress and prepare for restful sleep.
Don’t let the cold keep you indoors. Cannabis can enhance winter outdoor activities, making them more enjoyable and invigorating. Strains like Jack Herer or Green Crack can provide focus and energy for winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding. For more leisurely activities like winter hikes, CBD-dominant strains like Harlequin or ACDC can offer relaxation without intense psychoactive effects, allowing you to stay present and connected with nature.
Incorporate CBD-infused bath products or topicals to soothe sore muscles and dry skin. Cannabis-infused teas or hot chocolate can provide a cozy and relaxing evening ritual. These practices can help combat winter blues and keep you on track with your personal growth goals.
Use cannabis to enhance mindfulness practices like meditation or yoga. This can help you stay centered and focused on your winter arc goals. Additionally, cannabis can spark creativity, potentially inspiring new hobbies or projects that align with your personal development objectives.
Always consider health factors when using cannabis. If you’re using it for medical purposes, consult with a healthcare professional to ensure it aligns with your treatment plan.
By thoughtfully integrating cannabis into your winter arc, you can create a holistic approach to personal growth that embraces both the challenges and opportunities of the season. Whether you’re focusing on productivity, wellness, or creativity, cannabis can be a valuable ally in your journey towards self-improvement during the winter months.
And like a holiday blockbuster – people have something new to worry about – but marijuana could come to the rescue.
Blockbuster disaster movies always have something destroying major cities. Now scientist are citing the very real evidence we could have space junk crashing and having a big impact on the planet. Kessler syndrome, proposed by NASA scientists Donald J. Kessler and Burton G. Cour-Palais in 1978, describes a potential cascade of collisions in low Earth orbit (LEO) that could render space activities increasingly difficult This scenario occurs when the density of objects in orbit becomes so high that collisions between them generate debris, further increasing the likelihood of subsequent collisions. It seems with everything sent to space, civilization could be at a tipping point. But cannabis can keep you from freaking out about Kessler Syndrome.
The syndrome poses a significant threat to satellite operations and space exploration. Even small debris fragments can cause catastrophic damage to spacecraft due to their high velocity. As collisions create more debris, the risk of further impacts grows exponentially, potentially leading to a chain reaction that could make certain orbital ranges unusable for generations. While there’s no consensus on whether Kessler syndrome has already begun, experts agree that the concept is valid and requires attention. The increasing number of satellites, particularly large constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink, has raised concerns about exacerbating the problem.
While disaster movies are more dramatic, the idea of space junk destroying Paris, New York or Los Angeles is low. BUT…the real tragedy it could force human to go analog again as it poses a significant threat to space-based activities and technologies. Critically, it could disrupt telecommunications, internet connectivity, GPS navigation, and weather forecasting. And the effects could last for generations, making space exploration and satellite usage dangerous or impractical.
On top of all the other anxiety, this could tip the scale, but research data shows cannabis, particularly products high in CBD (cannabidiol), may offer relief from anxiety symptoms without the risks associated with THC-dominant products.
While both THC and CBD can affect anxiety levels, their impacts differ:
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol): This psychoactive compound has a biphasic effect on anxiety. Low doses may decrease anxiety, while higher doses can potentially increase issues.
CBD (Cannabidiol): Studies indicate that CBD appears to decrease anxiety at all tested doses, without the psychoactive effects associated with THC.
When considering cannabis for anxiety management, especially in the context of concerns about the Kessler syndrome, it’s important to note:
Individual Responses: Reactions to cannabis can vary widely among individuals, influenced by factors such as dosage, strain, and personal physiology.
Consultation: It’s crucial to consult with a healthcare provider or a state-certified cannabis clinician before using cannabis for anxiety treatment.
Complementary Approach: Cannabis should not replace traditional anxiety treatments like talk therapy but rather be considered as a potential complementary approach.
Dosage and Ratio: The ratio of CBD to THC in cannabis products can significantly impact their effects on anxiety. CBD-dominant products may be more suitable for anxiety relief.
Long-term Effects: While cannabis may offer short-term benefits for anxiety symptoms, long-term effects and potential risks should be considered.
if you ever thought you were an actor in the movie, just look at the news – you can’t make this stuff up.
