Pros and Cons of CBD Cigarettes – Ask an Industry Expert

One major use for CBD cigarettes is as smoking cessation aid. When in the middle of a hard-to-kick smoking habit, it can be incredibly hard to quit completely cold turkey. Instead, it may be helpful to use an alternative that is healthier but reminiscent of a cigarette in order to slowly wean yourself off. 

• CBD cigarettes contain no nicotine, tobacco, or other harmful chemicals that are in normal cigarettes.

When it comes to finding an alternative for smoking, the lack of nicotine in CBD cigarettes is a major bonus. Some smoking cessation devices, such as e-cigarettes, purport to help individuals wean off of cigarettes by offering nicotine in healthier forms. While the “healthiness” claim has been generally proven false, given the inclusion of some toxic substances in nicotine vapes like heavy metals and vitamin E acetate, providing nicotine can still make the habit impossible to quit for some individuals. 

Luckily, CBD is a completely non-addictive option for a smoking alternative. It has been shown to be non-habit-forming in the same way as marijuana, while also not providing many opportunities for emotional addictions to form. 

• CBD cigarettes are the healthier option compared to traditional cigarettes.

While the jury is largely still out on exactly how dangerous cannabis is to smoke, health-wise, research has begun to point to it as a significantly healthier alternative to things like traditional tobacco cigarettes. 

For one thing, studies following marijuana smokers seem to find that they have way lower rates of emphysema or lung cancer than lifetime cigarette smokers, and that there seems to be no definitive link to cannabis as a source of cancer at all. 

Furthermore, cannabis has been shown to not have the detrimental cardiovascular effects on the body that smoking tobacco can, potentially since it is a vasodilator rather than a vasoconstrictor like tobacco; cannabis opens your blood vessels more so more blood can pass through, lowering your overall blood pressure, while tobacco cigarettes do the opposite. 

It’s worth noting that research on cannabis is still relatively young, so the more startling findings about its long term health impacts might still be on the way. After all, smoking anything can be dangerous for your lung health. But as of right now, there is not enough evidence to definitively claim that CBD has notable negative long-term health effects. 

Additionally, it’s important to note that many cannabis studies like these ones compare the everyday smoking habits of cannabis smokers and tobacco smokers, which are generally completely different. Most cannabis smokers do not use pre-rolled cannabis cigarettes, but instead smoke out of glass or ceramic bowls or wrap their own joints. Additionally, CBD cigarettes are generally additive-free. Tobacco smokers almost exclusively use industry-made cigarettes, which undoubtedly contain harmful additives that would not be present in tobacco smoked on its own. Furthermore, cannabis smokers smoke far less frequently than cigarette smokers, opting for a few hits and then allowing the effects to take hold. 

However, of the two substances, cannabis has been demonstrated to be a healthier substance to smoke generally. 

• CBD offers a similar smoking experience.

While it’s not surprising that addiction follows when tobacco cigarettes contain so many chemically addictive substances, another factor which reinforces addiction and makes it difficult to quit is the overall experience or routine of smoking cigarettes. There is a particular shape, feeling, and practice when it comes to smoking that not many other experiences emulate. Even e-cigarettes designed for smoking cessation don’t exactly tackle this element. Being able to put your lips around a cigarette-shaped object, light it up, inhale, and blow out can all be parts of smoking that long-time smokers begin to associate with calm, ritual, and quiet. Even just the act of “going out for a smoke break” is a pleasant moment throughout the day for a small pleasure and some alone time.

Many studies also seem to show that smokers are often friends with or close to other smokers, and that other peoples’ smoking habits have an influence on their own, a fact which can complicate things when it comes to quitting smoking. There are certain friend groups in which smoking is ingrained, especially in spaces like bars, concerts, and outings. If smoking is a way that you bond with your friends, a CBD cigarette can keep you healthy, while also ensuring that you are not left out. 

For these reasons, offering tobacco smoking alternatives that are similar enough to smoking tobacco in ritual and experience without as many negatives can be a huge positive. While it won’t necessarily curb cravings for nicotine, it can curb cravings for the act of smoking, or help to eliminate other situations which can cause people to begin smoking again, such as situations where smoking is a part of the social affair.