If you've ever tried to quit smoking, then you already have firsthand knowledge of what makes it so hard to kick the habit. That has probably driven you to research things like the best gummies to quit smoking cigarettes, nicotine replacement therapies, and more.
What makes quitting smoking such an intense process is that you're not just breaking one addiction, or altering one aspect of your behavior. You're breaking an addiction to a chemical substance (nicotine), but also breaking several deeply ingrained habits.
Depending on how long you've been smoking, these habits may be so entrenched in your subconscious they may contribute just as much, if not more, to the difficulty you have when you try to quit smoking.
We’ll talk more about the science behind this a little later in this article. If you already think gummies are the quitting aid that’s right for you, though, here’s a roundup of some of the best ones on the market.
At a glance:
MELO Air & ZERO
Quitting smoking can be easier if you use a three-pronged approach that addresses the chemical addiction to nicotine, behavioral “addictions” like oral fixation, and situational triggers.
MELO Air and ZERO can be your go-to tool for tackling one of those. Both MELO Air and ZERO mimic the action of smoking — bringing something to your mouth, taking a "drag," and exhaling — but neither one contains any nicotine. Nor do they contain any CBD, which most of the rest of the products on this list do. That's because both are popular vape devices that many people have used to help them give up cigarettes.
MELO Air contains melatonin, which can have a calming effect and also help you sleep (important if withdrawal symptoms — which are very real — keep you from getting a good night’s rest). MELO Air’s "vape juices" come in a variety of flavors, like Peach, Midnight Mint, Lavender Dream, Bubble Gum and Banana.
You'll get about 400 inhales per MELO Air device. You might also want to check out our other recommendations for the best nicotine free vape and best E cigarette alternative. Both of these can help overcome oral fixation.
ZERO is similar, but it's specifically designed to help people quit smoking. Unlike MELO Air, ZERO contains nothing but flavored air. It's a great device for keeping your hands and mouth "occupied," as they would be if you were smoking.
ZERO comes in six flavors — Arctic Peach, Green Punch, Heaven, Jolly Berries, Magic Mint and White Gummy. Each ZERO should last around 2,000 puffs. Check out other fake cigarettes to help quit smoking.
Get Help with Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms with CBD Gummies
Before we get into individual recommendations for the best CBD gummies, let's define some terms. When you shop for CBD gummies, you'll see products labeled as containing full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD, or CBD isolate. Quickly, here's what those terms mean:
- Full-spectrum CBD gummies contain everything that's found in the cannabis plant — cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. They also may contain THC (the chemical associated with getting "high") though only in very, very small amounts. However, be aware that depending on their THC level, full-spectrum CBD products may cause you to test positive on a drug test.
- Broad-spectrum CBD gummies include everything in full-spectrum varieties except for the THC. This is generally considered to deliver the most benefits without the risk of ingesting THC.
- CBD Isolate is the purest form of CBD. It doesn't contain any of the other cannabinoids, terpenes or flavonoids that are found in full- or broad-spectrum. This is best for people who want absolutely zero chance of being exposed to even trace amounts of THC.
With that out of the way, here are some of the best brands of CBD gummies that can help calm your cravings, get withdrawal symptoms under control, and help you quit smoking.
BATCH CBD Gummies
BATCH CBD Gummies are known in the CBD industry for their effectiveness, as well as for their taste and fruity flavors that include real fruit juices (blueberry, raspberry and mango). These CBD gummies are full-spectrum, vegan and contain a short list of all-natural ingredients.
Each of these CBD gummies contains 25 mg of CBD, and there are 30 CBD gummies per container. In addition to being vegan, these CBD gummies are also gluten-free.
BATCH CBD Gummies are also third-party lab tested for purity, contain no detectable THC, and are made from 100% organic, non-GMO hemp grown in Wisconsin.
Penguin CBD Gummies
Penguin CBD Gummies are made from CBD isolate, as opposed to full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD like many other CBD gummies on our list. Rolling Stone has called Penguin CBD Gummies the "world's finest CBD brand for relaxation." Which is exactly the effect we're after to curb those nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
If you've ever had Sour Patch Kids, you can imagine the flavor of Penguin CBD Gummies. They're in the form of gummy worms and are made with a blend of sweet and sour sugar, mimicking the Sour Patch Kids taste.
Each individual gummy worm contains 10 mg of CBD, and each jar contains 30 CBD gummies.
Shop Penguin CBD Gummies here.
MedTerra CBD Gummies
MedTerra is a generally respected company in the CBD gummies space. In addition to CBD gummies, MedTerra also offers CBD oils, capsules, topicals and a line of pet products.
MedTerra also categorizes its offerings by desired effect: sleep, focus, pain relief, immune system boost, and the one we're specifically after here, relaxation. To achieve these desired effects, MedTerra "enhances" several of its products with secondary compounds to boost the benefits of the CBD.
Their Relax Now Fast-Acting CBD Gummies are enhanced with a "proprietary advanced nanotechnology" that's supposed to produce a calming effect in less than 10 minutes. Available in citrus or tropical flavors, these CBD gummies also contain other compounds, like L-theanine, GABA and Skullcap, to boost their effectiveness.
Each Relax Now gummy contains 25 mg of CBD, and there are 30 CBD gummies per bottle.
Shop MedTerra CBD Gummies here.
CBDfx CBD Gummies
CBDfx is another well-established and well-respected company in the CBD industry. They offer a full line of CBD products, including tinctures, oils, topicals and, of course, CBD gummies. Like MedTerra, CBDfx also infuses several of their CBD gummies with other ingredients — like spirulina, turmeric, melatonin and even apple cider vinegar — to boost their effects and benefits.
Their flagship gummy — Original Mixed Berry CBD Gummies — is a good place to start. This formulation includes 50mg of broad spectrum CBD per serving (25 mg in each gummy).
CBDfx's CBD gummies are organic, vegan and gluten-free, made in the U.S., and are verified for potency. There are 60 gummies per bottle, and they are backed by a 60-day guarantee.
Moonwlkr CBD Gummies
Moonwlkr has a great reputation for providing quality CBD gummies made in the USA from all natural ingredients. Like others on this list, Moonwlkr combines additional functional ingredients in addition to CBD to promote a desired effect.
Moonwlkr comes in a variety of formulations and flavors, with lines devoted to sleep, pain relief and stress relief. That last one is the one we're interested in.
This particular "recipe" adds Ashwagandha to the mix, an adaptogen that's been used for thousands of years to help calm anxiety and relieve stress. Each gummy contains 25 mg of CBD and 150 mg of Ashwagandha, and there are 30 gummies in each bottle.
Shop Moonwlkr CBD Gummies here.
Joy Organics CBD Gummies
Joy Organics offers a full line of CBD gummies and other CBD products, like tinctures, soft gels and topicals. Be aware that some of Joy Organics' products do contain THC. These are easy to spot, because THC is right in their name — Delta 9 THC Gummies, for example.
Formulations that are THC-free are also clearly labeled as such. There's a special formulation geared toward stress relief — the Strawberry Lemonade or Green Apple CBD (and THC-free) varieties.
Each organic gummy contains 25mg of CBD, and there are 30 gummies in each container.
Shop Joy Organics CBD Gummies here.
Charlotte's Web CBD Gummies
Here's something you don't hear every day — Charlotte's Web is the official CBD of Major League Baseball, which is quite a coup. With that notch in their belt, you'd imagine they have lines geared toward athletes, and they certainly do.
Called Daily Edge, they describe it as "the natural choice to help athletes stay calm under pressure, support recovery, and maintain healthy sleep cycles." Sounds like that formulation would help someone stay calm while quitting smoking as well.
Other formulations are also geared toward stress relief, namely their line called Calm. Calm was "formulated to help you meet life’s stressful situations with ease and better focus," and to "counter everyday stresses while supporting a sense of calm and relaxation." Exactly what you need to counter withdrawal-related anxiety.
Each gummy contains 10 mg of full-spectrum CBD plus lemon balm, a well-known herb that promotes relaxation. Each container of Charlotte's Web Calm contains 90 gummies.
Shop Charlotte's Web CBD Gummies here.
Sunday Scaries CBD Gummies
Sunday Scaries, says the company's sales page, are "gummies for chillin'." Perfect for dealing with the scary side-effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Available in four flavors — orange, cherry, apple and lemon — each Sunday Scaries gummy contains 10 mg of full-spectrum CBD plus two other functional ingredients known to promote a sense of calm — 6 mcg of Vitamin B12 and 10 mcg of Vitamin D3.
The company sources their ingredients from a lab in Denver, Colorado (so they're made in the USA), and they have multiple third-party certifications.
Sunday Scaries also come in an extra strength version, which contains 25mg of CBD (more than twice the amount of the standard strength version). You can also find other CBD products here, like CBD "candy," CBD oil and more.
Shop Sunday Scaries CBD Gummies here.
Green Roads CBD Gummies
Here's an interesting fact about Green Roads — its founder and CEO, Laura Fuentes, spent more than 20 years as a licensed compounding pharmacist before starting the company. They say this is the reason every product that leaves their warehouse is stamped with the words, "Pharmacist Formulated."
Presumably, Fuentes' prior experience plays a large role in the formulations offered by Green Roads. One of their flagship products, Relax Bears, is one of the most popular CBD relaxation formulas available (though they offer other formulations, such as Stress Aways, which contain Ashwagandha in addition to CBD).
Extra Strength Relax Bears come in packages of 30, and in a variety of flavors — blue raspberry, lemon, cherry, green apple and orange.
Each gummy contains 25mg of CBD Isolate, making them one of only two products on our list that comes from Isolate and not full- or broad-spectrum CBD.
Shop Green Roads CBD Gummies here.
R&R CBD Gummies
R&R, whose slogan is "The CBD that works," offers a full line of CBD products both with and without THC. We'll review the THC-free version here.
R&R partnered with a candy company to create their gummies, so taste was not an afterthought here.
Each R&R CBD gummy contains 30 mg of organic broad-spectrum CBD and includes the natural terpenes, flavonoids and antioxidants you want from a broad-spectrum product. Each jar contains 30 gummies.
Chemical Addiction to Nicotine
We’ve told you about the best gummies on the market to help you quit smoking. Now let's talk about what's going on in your brain with the nicotine addiction, so you can better understand why gummies can help you quit. We think we’ve put together a pretty good list, but having an understanding of the science behind quitting might help you do your own shopping, too.
In a nutshell, nicotine causes your brain to release dopamine — known as "the pathway to pleasure." Basically, it makes you feel happy.
But when you're constantly giving your brain nicotine, like by smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, your brain starts to depend on that dopamine … a LOT. And when you quit smoking and don't supply it, thus cutting that nicotine off, you start to feel, let's just say, the opposite of happy.
That's what leads to withdrawal symptoms that you're probably all too familiar with if you're tried to quit smoking before, or will become familiar with if this is your first attempt.
Get Help with Nicotine Addiction from Gums, Patches or Lozenges if Needed
We covered these products extensively in our article on 5 e-Cigarette Alternatives, so we'll just go over them briefly here … essentially just to remind you that they're available.
Brand names like Nicorette offer nicotine gum, nicotine lozenges and nicotine patches in various strengths to satisfy nicotine cravings while helping you break your addiction to tobacco and cigarettes.
These are also widely available in generic forms, which are generally much cheaper than the brand name stuff. Check your local pharmacy, big box store, or even your grocery store to see what they carry.
Behavioral "Addictions"
In addition to the physical addiction you have to nicotine, you probably also have a psychological addiction to some other behaviors, like …
Oral Fixation
You've probably heard of this one. Understand that we're not psychologists or doctors here, but here's a simple explanation for what's going on: the simple act of repeatedly moving a cigarette to your mouth and inhaling can become deeply ingrained in your brain.
Of course, the longer you've been smoking, the more ingrained in your mind it will be. But generally, this behavior, too, has to be "kicked" along with your nicotine addiction. Check out our article on 3 Best Oral Fixation Smoking Alternatives That Help You Ditch the Cigarettes! for more on this topic, and 4 Best Vapes to Quit Smoking, from Caffeine to CBD.
Situational Triggers
Perhaps you have triggers that tell your brain it's time to light up. Maybe having a cigarette just seems to go with a cup of coffee, for example, or you have the urge to light up when you're drinking alcohol. Maybe it's stressful situations that cause you to reach for a smoke to calm down. Maybe it's something else.
Whatever you've linked up in your brain with the need for a cigarette has to be unlinked for your quitting attempt to "take." And again, all of these behaviors need to be "unlearned" for you to truly be free of your smoking habit.
Here's How to Make Quitting Easier
After all that, it may seem like the odds are stacked against you. But that doesn't mean quitting is impossible. Obviously it's not. Millions of people have done it before and millions are probably doing it right now. And if they can do it, so can you. We hope this article will help point you in the direction of some products and strategies that can help make it easier.
Quitting Smoking is Hard, But NOT Impossible
There's no doubt about it. The difficulties involved in giving up cigarettes are many. Some people have an easier time of it than others, but anyone who's ever done it will probably tell you it wasn't a cake walk.
That doesn't mean quitting smoking is impossible. There are more tools than ever to help you quit. And we've gone through a bunch of them here. Again, the best approach is the three-pronged approach that tackles all of the behaviors at once. Which is why we told you about everything from vapes like HELO Air and ZERO Air, to nicotine replacement products like gum and patches, and finally CBD gummies to help with withdrawal symptoms.
Good luck. You got this!
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