Do you smoke and use CBD oil? Maybe you alternate between nicotine and CBD pouches? Whatever the case, you've probably questioned whether using these two compounds in tandem is safe. In this short article, we'll look at how nicotine and CBD interact with each other and what that means for your body.
What exactly is nicotine?
Nicotine is an addictive stimulant belonging to alkaloids (or organic nitrous compounds). It's derived from tobacco, a plant from the Solanaceae family, the same group as the potato, pepper and tomato. The name Solanaceae is thought to be related to Sol (Latin for sun) or Solare (Latin for "to soothe"). It is one of the most commonly used stimulants on the planet, creating psychological effects that influence memory, reflexes and attention.
What is CBD?
CBD (or cannabidiol) is one of the main cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant (it has more than a hundred different cannabinoids in total). It's often compared to THC (or Tetrahydrocannabinol). While THC is psychotropic and creates the "high" or euphoria we've all heard of, CBD on its own doesn't trigger these effects. CBD isolate is widely regarded as safe and non-addictive by the World Health Organisation. It can also be used in various CBD products like vapes, pouches or oils.
Are there any side effects from nicotine pouches?
First off, nicotine alone does not cause cancer and, as defined by WHO, is not a carcinogenic compound. The chemicals that cause cancer occur in the tobacco plant, not the nicotine compound.
In larger doses, nicotine can cause a range of side effects on both the body and mind, including:
Nausea and headaches
Decreased appetite
Increased blood pressure
Sweating
Also, nicotine is a toxic chemical in large doses, but the fast absorption by the body and nicotine's short half-life (roughly two hours after use) means that it's extremely difficult to overdose, which would usually be found at 40-50 milligrams of nicotine.
What are the side effects of CBD?
A 2018 report by WHO (World Health Organisation) found that cannabidiol is considered to be safe and well-tolerated. However, it can cause side effects since it interacts with your central nervous system and several other organs in your body. These include:
Fatigue
Nausea
Dry mouth
Reduced appetite
Drowsiness
Irritability
Does CBD Contain Nicotine?
If you're buying from a reputable seller, neither CBD oil nor CBD vape juice (e-liquid) should contain nicotine. Both CBD oil and CBD vape juice contain CBD derived from industrial hemp. The main difference is the method used to deliver CBD into your body. As the name suggests, CBD oil is an oil-based product as it uses quality carrier oils like MCT coconut oil to deliver (or "carry") CBD to your body. This contrasts with CBD vape juice or e-liquid which uses a natural vegetable liquid but contains no nicotine unless it's added afterwards.
Do CBD and Nicotine work together?
Many people enjoy CBD alongside cigarettes, nicotine-containing vapes or nicotine pouches because of an alleged cooperative relationship between the two substances, but what's the science behind this? Right now, it's difficult to give concrete as research is still being carried out. Remember, CBD is still a relatively recent discovery!
One of the issues between nicotine and CBD is that the cannabidiol may affect with the metabolism of nicotine, causing it to remain active in your body for longer. It may also reduce the excess of stimulating side effects that occur with nicotine use, like anxiety, nausea, or insomnia but as suggested, more studies are required. Let's look at these in more detail.
Slower metabolism
The liver metabolises most of what we consume before excreting the compounds from the body, including CBD and nicotine.
CBD and other plant cannabinoids derived from the hemp plant can potentially interact with drugs or pharmaceuticals by inhibiting the activity of liver enzymes. This is why we recommend speaking with your doctor if you're on any medication before using CBD.
The process works quite like a traffic jam. As two or more compounds compete for the same metabolic pathway, the effects of both compounds may become more intense and last for a longer duration. Alternatively, the compounds may deteriorate before reaching their pathways, so you receive less of the effects of nicotine and CBD.
Reduced Effect
An antagonistic interaction happens between two drugs that create opposite effects, like simultaneously taking a stimulant and sedative (think the difference between a morning coffee and a pint of beer). When these concoctions are used together, one offsets the other's effects by working in the opposing direction. For example, some studies have shown that CBD may have a competing impact on some of the effects of nicotine.
CBD is a relaxant (which slows cognitive function), which is in direct contrasts to stimulants such as nicotine, which increase cognitive activity. Because of this, some use CBD to help reduce the side effects of nicotine, such as anxiety and muscle tension.
Is It Safe To use Nicotine With CBD?
The reason people use cigarettes or buy nicotine pouches varies from person to person. Some enjoy the comforting and lightly stimulating properties of nicotine, while for others, rolling a cigarette or popping in a pouch helps them relax into the day. Of course, many other methods also deliver nicotine, such as nicotine patches and nicotine gum - it all depends on your preference.On the other hand, CBD has several benefits besides being non-addictive. Although recent research indicates that CBD might be a potentially helpful treatment for nicotine dependence, there are no current studies that fully endorses cannabidiol as a nicotine replacement.
Ultimately, you'll have to make up your own mind on whether you find whether the two compounds work cooperatively. The best way of doing this is trying them in isolation and then seeing the effects.
