Medical Cannabis Helps Reduce Nicotine Use

Published May 13, 2021 in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, this study examined 650 individuals who initiated medical cannabis use, and had reported current or previous tobacco or nicotine use.

The self-reported results were very encouraging in that 320 users (49%) reported reductions in use, while 25% reported no use in the prior 30 days. The greatest cessation was reported in those participants aged over 55, or those reporting more than 25 tobacco or nicotine uses per day. Those users that specifically said they intended to reduce tobacco or nicotine use resulted in much better chances of success.

An interesting note in the survey states that, "involvement with traditional T/N [tobacco or nicotine] cessation treatments (pharmacological or psychobehavioral) was negatively associated with T/N cessation." Being negatively associated with cessation means that these traditional cessation treatments actually increased tobacco or nicotine use.

Another win for cannabis. The abstract of the report is here.