Heroin addiction is a serious problem in the United States, with overdosing killing hundreds of thousands of Americans in the last few decades. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH), more than 67,300 Americans died from a drug-involved overdose in 2018, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids. Drug overdose deaths rose from 38,329 in 2010 to 70,237 in 2017; followed by a significant decrease in 2018 to 67,367 deaths.
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About the Opioid Addiction Crisis
The opioid crisis has destroyed countless families, careers, relationships, and is a massive drain on the economy, costing billions annually in law enforcement costs, lost productivity, and medical and emergency costs. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive, non-addictive compound found in the cannabis plant, including industrial hemp. CBD doesn’t get you high like another cannabis compound — the more well-known THC. So how can CBD help with the opioid crisis?
What are the Symptoms of Heroin Withdrawal?
Heroin withdrawal can be debilitating and very uncomfortable. The withdrawal symptoms can last anywhere from a week to months. This is enough to drive people to relapse, which often leads to overdose and death. Fear of withdrawal is the main reason people continue the addiction cycle.
Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin withdrawal and detox include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps
- Insomnia
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- Dilated pupils
- Flu symptoms
- Irritability
- Anxiety
Can CBD Help With Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms?
To minimize heroin withdrawal symptoms, people may take medication (over-the-counter or prescription) to help and CBD has become a common self-help detox aid. You want the experience of detoxing from heroin to be as comfortable as possible with little to no withdrawal symptoms, but can CBD achieve this?
According to research, CBD’s interaction with the endocannabinoid system may be beneficial in helping those with some level of heroin dependence.
For example, a May 2019 study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry involved individuals who had previously abstained from heroin use but still struggled with two common symptoms of opioid withdrawal: anxiety and cravings.
Are There Benefits to Using CBD During Heroin Detox?
After analyzing the data, researchers found that the immediate effects were significant compared to the placebo, with participants experiencing lower rates of anxiety and reduced cravings 1 hour, 2 hours, and 24 hours after the first dose was given. These positive impacts were still noted seven days post-treatment, with no adverse side effects.
This suggests that CBD products have additional medical use, which is a more successful recovery from opiate withdrawal. At a minimum, this cannabis compound can potentially help recovering addicts by improving their quality of life during their sobriety, simply by reducing these symptoms.
More About Heroin Detox and CBD
If you are thinking about taking CBD to get off heroin, know that it might not work for everyone. While studies have reported reduced heroin cravings in a controlled setting, at-home surveys indicated some individuals continued to experience the same level of cravings once back in their previous environment.
You should never try to detox off heroin yourself without contacting a medical professional first. We At Allure Detox can help you safely detox from heroin.