San Diego, CA: The administration of cannabidiol reduces nicotine withdrawal symptoms in animals, according to preclinical data published in the journal Psychopharmacology.
Researchers with the University of California, San Diego assessed the use of CBD or placebo in nicotine-dependent rats during periods of acute and protracted abstinence.
Investigators reported that CBD dosing “prevented” rats from exhibiting various signs of nicotine withdrawal. These findings “suggest that using CBD as a strategy to alleviate withdrawal symptoms upon nicotine cessation may be beneficial,” they concluded.
Separate animal models have demonstrated the ability of CBD to reduce cravings for alcohol and cocaine, while human studies have reported associations between CBD intake and reduced desires for alcohol, cocaine, heroin, tobacco, and cannabis.
Full text of the study, “Cannabidiol reduces withdrawal symptoms in nicotine-dependent rats,” appears in Psychopharmacology.