PATCH PHRASE

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Forget nicotine patches;

why CBD patches are the way to go

[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5955″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]Nicotine … you’ve heard the stories.

As addictive as drugs and alcohol, yet over 1.3 billion people can’t get enough of the stuff.

Nicotiana tabacum (to use its fancy-pants name) is nicotine found in tobacco plants and has been used as medicine and a stimulant for at least 2000 years.

It’s both a sedative and a stimulant that can make people feel both alert and relaxed.

Niiiiice.

But it’s also highly addictive.

Ah, dammit.

And tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year.

Double dammit.

If you’re a smoker trying to quit, it’s an addiction you have to fight every day. Overcoming that desire for nicotine is not easy.

Withdrawals symptoms include cravings, anxiety, depression, moodiness and irritability. Your willpower can wear down over time, and social pressures challenge you at each turn.

Urgh, sounds awesome.

Enter, CBD. Ta-daaaa!

How CBD can help treat nicotine addiction

[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”5956″ img_size=”large”][vc_column_text]CBD, known as cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive substance that comes loaded with a ton of anxiety-fighting and stress-reducing effects.

And as anxiety, irritability and moodiness are symptoms of nicotine withdrawal—it means CBD is an effective tool in beating your addiction.

But don’t just take our word for it …

In 2013, University College London did a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study to find out whether CBD could help treat nicotine addiction. 24 smokers were randomly assigned an inhaler of either CBD or a placebo.

They were told to use the inhaler when they felt the urge to smoke. Over the treatment week, placebo treated smokers showed no change in the number of cigarettes smoked,  but those using the inhaler with CBD significantly reduced the number of cigarettes smoked by up to 40% during treatment.

Brilliant right?

(It’s important to note that the trial only took place over a week, and the sample size of 24 people is teeny compared to the 1.1 billion smokers out there—but the results got people thinking …)

But that’s not all …

Later, in a 2018 study, test subjects were given either CBD or a placebo before being shown a picture that might get them to crave tobacco. Like pictures of people smoking, ashtrays and so on.

The theory is that smokers often have cigarettes out of habit. Like, with their morning coffee, for example. Over time, the brain learns to associate a cigarette with an action. Without realising, every time a smoker sees a cup of coffee, the brain reacts by craving cigarettes.

Yikes.

The results showed that the smokers who took CBD experienced a reduction in the “salience and pleasantness of cigarette cues”, while the placebo group remained the same … suggesting that CBD affects the way the brain processes nicotine.

CBD is just fab, isn’t it?

How CBD patches work

You’ve heard of nicotine patches, but what about CBD patches? Well, get ready, I’m about to throw some CBD science your way.

Patches work by allowing the active ingredient in the patch to enter our body’s bloodstream through the skin.

In the case of CBD patches, the process is the same. Using diffusion, and the body’s natural heat, CBD moves from inside the patch, to the skin, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream.

It’s like magic, but it’s science.

Once in the bloodstream, it binds with the body’s receptors helping to regulate the body’s functions, including sleep, memory, mood—all of which can be badly affected as you try to wean yourself off nicotine.

Ah, I love the smell of science in the morning.

As the release of CBD into the bloodstream is steady and continuous, the benefits can last anywhere from 6 to a whopping 96 hours, depending on the type of patch and manufacturer. Better yet, patches are discreet so you can stick it on and forget about it.

Begone nicotine addiction!

So there you have it. CBD patches are definitely a tool you’ll want in your arsenal as you begin your journey to quitting nicotine.

If you don’t know where to start, we recommend checking these products out:

TAKE ME THERE![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”3273″ title=”James Mackay”][/vc_column][/vc_row]