In the cannabis community, we love to point out that weed isn’t “really” addictive, especially when compared to other substances. But many daily cannabis consumers will tell you that stopping “cold turkey” can create weed withdrawal, which isn’t exactly pleasant. However, with the help of a non-psychoactive CBD supplement, taking a break from weed can be much easier.

Is cannabis withdrawal real?

Although not nearly as severe as the withdrawal from opioids, alcohol, or even tobacco, weed withdrawal does exist. Especially in long-term, chronic users, feeling “off-balance” is common when stopping the herb for a few days. I know for me personally, I have trouble sleeping when I’m in a place without cannabis access, and my appetite is pretty minimal for a few days. Some common weed withdrawal symptoms include:

• Increased anxiety
• Headaches and migraines
• Mood swings and irritability
• Weed cravings
• Insomnia and restlessness
• Nausea or loss of appetite
• Decreased sex drive

These symptoms are all related to processes of the endocannabinoid system, which helps to regulate many bodily functions, like pain, appetite, and mood. So when your body is denied these cannabinoids that it’s used to receiving daily, weed withdrawal occurs. Because all of these weed withdrawal symptoms are also ailments people use cannabis for, they can feel exaggerated during the first few days of a weed break, especially anxiety and headaches.

How can CBD help weed withdrawal?

The good news is that many report CBD gives them relief from weed withdrawal symptoms. In fact, many are also using CBD daily to help with those same issues, among others. Remember, CBD is a non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant, meaning it doesn’t get you high. If it’s derived from the hemp plant with 0.3% THC or less, it can be shipped to all 50 states.

Even if you’re taking a cannabis break for a drug test, CBD can help. That’s because most drug screenings are only looking for THC, so you can still take CBD oil and have the medical benefits of cannabis, just not the high.

A 2015 review looking at the effects of CBD for addiction not only found that CBD was effective in helping opioid, cocaine, and cigarettes users quit, but also chronic cannabis users. One of the 14 studies they reviewed was a 2012 study on how CBD can help ease weed withdrawal symptoms. They looked at the case of a 19-year-old woman suffering from weed withdrawal who was given CBD for ten days. They found her symptoms, which included withdrawal, anxiety, and dissociative symptoms, were absent during her CBD treatment.

This study also explained weed withdrawal symptoms are thought to be “the result of the desensitization of CB1 receptors by THC.” To back up a little, we have CB1 receptors all over our bodies, especially in the brain and GI tract. That’s why many experience weed withdrawal symptoms associated with those systems, like anxiety, trouble sleeping, headache, and nausea.

What are the benefits of taking a break?

Because our bodies and CB1 receptors can, theoretically, become “desensitized to THC,” they can benefit from taking the occasional weed break. After you give your body some time to recharge, when you do start smoking again you’ll thank yourself. Since your tolerance will be lower, you’ll get much higher. That also means you’ll need less bud to get you stoned, at least for the first few days.

Using CBD Edibles To Cope With THC Withdrawal

While CBD in its smoke form might help you, we do recommend also having another way to ingest it to keep you away from smoke or smoke-related products. This is why we would also recommend giving five™ CBD’s CBD Gummies a try.

Their gummies have a high 5:1 CBD to THC ratio, perfect for the transition from consuming THC-only products to other cannabinoids. Their full-spectrum products are perfect to still treat yourself to the entourage effect, while getting some cannabinoids like CBN, CBC, or CBG in your system.

While they have several product lines, we recommend their Day Buzz and Sleeping Aid gummies for a better all-around experience. Their Day Buzz Gummies have a hefty 500mg CBD to 100mg THC ratio, making it perfect to enjoy a mood lift during your day.

These gummies come in a 20-count container, perfect to share or to enjoy for a few weeks. You can also save up and subscribe for a delivery every 30 days (and save up to 50%).

The Day Buzz gummies have Blue Razz, Redberry, Lemon, and Orange flavors are fully vegan, and contain all-natural ingredients. You can check them out here.

Their Sleep Gummies have a similar formula, with of course a terpene blend that helps you sleep better and melt all your worries away with some sweet berry flavor.

The 5:1 CBD to THC gummies is also vegan and best used when you want a small kick to fight insomnia or just carry you to the dream realm easily. You can check them out here.

What about cannabis use disorder?

First of all, cannabis use disorder is pretty rare, and many will argue that it doesn’t exist at all. Researchers in 2007 found 9 percent of people who try cannabis will develop cannabis use disorder, as defined by the DSM IV. For some perspective, about 15 percent of those who try cocaine and 24 percent of those who try heroin will also form a dependence.

That being said, CBD can also help. CBD can curb drug cravings in those struggling with addiction to a variety of drugs. Recently, many studies have been looking at cannabis and CBD as an effective treatment for opioid abuse and addiction. People are even using CBD to quit smoking cigarettes.

Cannabis, formerly known as the “gateway drug” is now being hailed as an exit drug, especially CBD-rich products and strains. For weed withdrawal or opioid withdrawal, CBD is here to help. If you have a weed break coming up, stock up on some CBD oil first to help the transition go more smoothly.

Using CBD Edibles To Cope With THC Withdrawal

While CBD in its smoke form might help you, we do recommend also having another way to ingest it to keep you away from smoke or smoke-related products. This is why we would also recommend giving five™ CBD’s CBD Gummies a try.

Five has a healthy obsession with the concept of full-spectrum, a term that essentially means that the whole range of cannabinoids present in the hemp plant goes into their products. This results in a hearty and satisfying 5:1 ratio of CBD to other minor cannabinoids, a more robust experience that allows CBD’s effects to truly shine through the entourage effect.

Up to 6 times more minor cannabinoids than the competition, that’s the Five promise, that’s how much they believe proper full spectrum enhances a product.

What this will mean for you, as you recover from your withdrawals, is an experience that better satisfies your brain’s cravings, filling up those CB1 receptors while keeping you grounded and relaxed in a CBD trance.

five™ CBD’s CBD gummies, flavored with blue razz, redberry, lemon, and orange with a tangy twist, are an excellent choice to begin replacing THC as your body returns to normal. They’re safe, thoroughly and independently lab-tested, and fairly priced, with no complaints from us.