A new federally funded study has found that CBD may help tobacco users quit by reducing cravings. The study, published in the Chemical Research in Toxicology journal last month, showed that relatively low doses of CBD significantly inhibited a key enzyme associated with the processing of nicotine in the body, which could stave off cravings.

While researchers say more studies that involve human subjects are needed, the study that examined liver tissue and microsomes derived from specialized cell lines showed that cannabidiol inhibited multiple relevant enzymes—and that included CYP2A6, the main enzyme that metabolizes nicotine.

From a harm reduction perspective, the implications of this study could be significant. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and even offsetting craving by a small amount could have demonstrable public health impacts. Tobacco use has already been declining precipitously among the public. Gallup released a poll last year that found young people are now more than twice as likely to report smoking marijuana compared to cigarettes, for example.