Cigarette smoking is a serious public health issue, with one in every five Americans dying from smoking-related causes each year. Several alternative nicotine delivery techniques, like vaping, snuff, and chew, include compounds that might cause cancer and other diseases, while being seen as less dangerous.

New study suggests that cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-psychoactive component of cannabis, suppresses the metabolism of nicotine, suggesting that it may benefit cigarette smokers reduce their cravings for cigarettes.

A group of scientists from Washington State University studied the effects of CBD and its main metabolite on samples of human liver cells and tissue, and they discovered that it blocked a crucial enzyme for nicotine metabolism.

For people who are addicted to nicotine, slowing the drug’s metabolism could give them more time before they feel the need to inhale more nicotine and all the other harmful things that are in cigarette smoke.

The results hold promise, but further study is needed to validate these effects in people and establish dose levels, according to Philip Lazarus, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at WSU.

Senior author Lazarus says, their aim “is to decrease harm from smoking, which is not from the nicotine per se, but all the carcinogens and other chemicals that are in tobacco smoke.

“If we can minimize that harm, it would be a great thing for human health.”

One out of every five deaths in the U.S. each year is caused by smoking, so smoking is still a major health problem. Although while they are often seen as less dangerous, many alternative nicotine delivery methods, including as snuffing, chewing, and vaping, still include compounds that may lead to cancer and other diseases.

In this particular study, the researchers examined the effects of CBD and its primary metabolite, known as 7-hyroxycannabidiol, on microsomes derived from human liver tissue in addition to microsomes derived from specialized cell lines, which enabled the researchers to zero in on specific enzymes involved in the metabolism of nicotine.

They discovered that CBD blocked a number of these enzymes, including the key enzyme responsible for the metabolism of nicotine, known as CYP2A6. According to other studies, the majority of tobacco smokers metabolize more than 70% of nicotine via this enzyme.

At very low CBD concentrations, the effect of CBD on this specific enzyme proved to be fairly substantial, reducing its activity by 50%.

In other words, the author adds, “it appears that you don’t need much CBD to see the effect.”

Lazarus’ team is planning a clinical research to measure nicotine levels in smokers’ blood over six to eight hours after ingesting CBD or a placebo.

They want to do a much bigger research later on to examine the relationship between CBD and nicotine addiction.

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