I am not a smoker. But the three closest members of my family all smoke. I grew up in a house of smokers. They have all tried to quit at one point or another with varying degrees of success. I love them all deeply, so I want more than anything to be able to help them stop smoking.
Natural Solutions
When I started getting interested in essential oils, I realized their amazing restorative and therapeutic powers. Naturally, I wanted to learn all I could, so I bought a reference book I use nearly every day: Modern Essentials
It seems like an e-cigarette with black pepper vapor would be the answer, right? While e-cigarettes may be slightly better than traditional cigarettes, they are still very unhealthy, containing nicotine, known carcinogens and other toxic chemicals. Even the emissions from the vapor can contain the carcinogen formaldehyde Our FDA, the British Medical Association and the World Health Organization all have warned about the dangers and addicting qualities of e-cigarettes. In fact according to this report, the U.S. FDA is spending $270 million in 45 studies to discover the effects of e-cigarettes, most of which are still widely unknown.
So is there a natural alternative? Yes- Black Pepper Essential Oil! Black Pepper Essential Oil has been shown to be the following:
Rich source of antioxidants.* • Enhances food flavor. • After your afternoon nap apply to the bottom of your feet for a stimulating wake up. • Maintains healthy circulation.* • Diffuse or inhale directly to soothe anxious feelings. • Take one to two drops in capsule for antioxidant support.*
Developing a recipe
I saw a picture online of black pepper soaked toothpicks, but have never been able to find an actual recipe. So, I’ve been experimenting with my own and pushing the trials on anybody that would try them-usually my sister. I’ll give you all my latest recipe, but you need to make them and help me by giving me feedback on what you think, deal? It’s an evolving thing.
The Cinnamon Bark essential oil is strictly optional and only used to help make the black pepper more palatable, but it also helped to keep me from sneezing while I made them (black pepper every time). Put the fractionated coconut oil (or any other food grade carrier oil, for that matter) in the bottom of an 8 oz mason jar or other air-tight glass jar, just enough to cover the bottom of the jar.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tsp fractionated coconut oil or unflavored food-grade carrier oil
- 15 drops Black Pepper Essential Oil
- 12 drops Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil (optional)
- 80 wooden toothpicks
- 8 oz glass mason jar with lid or airtight glass container
Directions
- Pour just enough carrier oil into mason jar to cover bottom, between one and two teaspoons.
- Drop Black Pepper and Cinnamon Bark essential oils into jar and stir.
- Arrange toothpicks standing up in jar so all are touching the bottom and therefore the oil too.
- Screw on top and allow to soak overnight or until all oil is gone.
- Use before cravings typically hit and as needed when unexpected cravings pop up.
- Happy Experimenting!
Now screw on the top VERY TIGHTLY. You don’t want all those oils evaporating, right? Soak overnight. In the morning, there should be no oil left and they are ready for use. Get one out right before you would normally crave a cigarette (like first thing in the morning, as soon as you get in the car, or right after a meal). Mostly for aromatic uses, but black pepper and cinnamon essential oils are both generally labeled as “supplements”, so they are acceptable to chew like any other toothpick. When you feel a craving coming, get one out again. Just make sure you screw the lid back on real tight after every time you open it. It also wouldn’t hurt if you stored the jar away from the light or extreme heat, as both things will accelerate evaporation. This might be a nice time to try wrapping your mason jar with all that pretty washi tape you bought but never used (guilty).
Now get out there and try these. Let me know how they work by commenting below. Do you think they need more black pepper and less cinnamon? Or same formulation and less toothpicks? Experiment for yourself and let me know what worked for you. I’ve read that study, so I know it will work. We just need to find the right formulation. Please share it with others to get the word out!
Thanks you soo much for sharing this amazing article. It’s really helpful.
I’m going to try these. smoked many years . I will let you know how they work for me.
Wishing you luck, good vibes and a healthy outcome Sharon!
Is peppermint considered “edible”? I saw where someone mentioned Spearmint and someone else mentioned Wintergreen…the wintergreen you said was not to be ingested. Is peppermint okay for ingesting? Thank you.
For those oil companies that claim some of their oils are ingestible-safe, peppermint is typically included in those considered ingestible. As is cinnamon bark. While wintergreen and spearmint are never considered safe to ingest.
Hey, just came across this on Pinterest and I’m going to make a batch up. Waiting on my Monq Essential Oil Difuser to come in the mail. I’m on a mission to quit smoking. Try, try and try again. These toothpicks will help with the restlessness of the hands.
Does the smoker chew on these or are they more for aromatherapy?
Both. However helps the most.
I read that 1994 study too, and I saw Dr. Axe suggested black pepper essential oil. I’m trying desperately to quit. I initially looked for options relative to e vaping black pepper oil as it looked like that’s something of what they did in that study, but then I read about lipid pneumonia, so I was at a loss until I found your article. I’m going to try it. I just got back from the store with my organic essential oils, and I’ve got a supply of coconut oil some I’m good on that end. Do you know of anyone who’s found success using this method? My will is strong, but cravings in the withdrawal phase, those first 4 days, can be painful. Thanks for sharing!
I do believe if you read the comments, a couple people had some success. I hope that helps you stay strong!
Just made this. I added 1 drop on Guard and 2 drops clove to take away the cinnamony smell.
I may add more black pepper in the future as I was a pack to nearly 2 packs a day smoker.
Hope it works. Thanks!
Do you think adding grapefruit (I have been told that this helps to overcome cravings) or wild orange to help with the ‘hot’ flavor? I want to make these for a friend but she can’t handle anything hot.
I personally didn’t think they tasted hot, but I think orange would be a good flavor addition. I believe grapefruit helps with sugar cravings.
My husband really likes these. I’ve made three batches, since he hasn’t kicked the habit yet. These are helpful, he insists, along with his logic vape stick to help him quit. I wanted to wait when he tried it the first two batches before I commented, so as to give smokers some hope by seeing if someone successfully quit. I’ll keep you posted if he quits for good this time. :)
Great to hear Rachel. Thank you!
Can you substitute olive oil for the coconut oil!?
You can substitute if you’re allergic to coconut oil, but I think olive oil would be way to thick and not ever dry. Maybe try grapeseed or safflower oil.
Okay. Also I have read that some essential oils are bad to ingest; is this an issue here? I’m assuming the amounts ingested from the tooth picks would be minimal.
I don’t personally encourage ingesting of oils myself. Both of these are touted as “safe”, but I think that each person needs to make that decision for themselves. Either way, the amount is VERY minimal as much of the oil will evaporate over time. The main point is to smell the oil and have something to help with the oral fixation associated with cigarettes (like mints or gum). I hope this helps. Great questions and thanks for reading!
Cannot wait to try this, just a quick question? Where did u get the droppers in the photos that screw onto the oil bottles… I am a heavy dropper and feel like these would help me greatly!
Hi Gemma! I got them at Aromatools.com. I don’t link to them because I just don’t recommend them. Your oils evaporate much faster and the dropper deteriorates very quickly. You’re better off just buying a bunch of plastic micro pipettes straight from amazon for one time use and using the original cap. I want to be honest and so I don’t link to them because I was very disappointed with their performance. P.S. the last time I bought from aroma tools, the shipping fees were ridiculously high and it took nearly three weeks. That’s a lot of negatives, lol! So sorry, but I don’t want you to be disappointed too. Thank you for reading!
Amazon. I have been able to find most any of the adapters there
Oh. Definitely trying this and sharing it! I’ve tried so many times to quit. Made it a year and a half. Started again. Quit using ecigs, for a year and a half, started again. I’m ready to quit again after smoking the past two years and this post has me hopeful! Thank you! What a great idea!
Made the tooth pick thingys and have them soaking now. My husband is gonna try to quit smoking with them. I will post updated as we go. Thanks for the recipe.
That’s awesome Lorrel
I’m looking into making these for my brother. I was wondering how your husband has made out.
Hi! I love your post!! HUGE thank you!! I saw this yesterday and decided when I got home that I HAD to try it.. as I am on my 4th day of quitting smoking. I changed a few things to work with what I have, and let them sit overnight, and then put them in a smaller bottle / container this morning to take to work with me. They smell good and taste good, and really help with the cravings.. I used 2 teaspoons of almond oil, 25 drops black pepper, 20 drops cinnamon, 5 drops of clove, and 5 drops spearmint. Still perfectly cinnamon-y! :) I used the flat toothpicks cause that is what I had on hand but will go for the round ones in the future. I brought my small bottle of them to work with me and have been alternating between water, and toothpicks all morning.. My co-worker wanted to know why I had a toothpick in my mouth, but said the smell/flavor was nice in our small office.. This is absolutely working for me as I havent even thought about having a smoke today.. I am going to make a couple more batches for the couple of people who are joining me on the quit smoking adventure. I think anyone would be happy to have this added willpower in their arsenal! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!
Trish, that is so awesome! I’m so excited for you! Thank you so much for letting me know. Thank you for reading and good luck!
ThAnn you for posting this. I can’t convince my boyfriend to use toothpicks, but I did purchase inhalers and he’s using those instead. We used a mix of black pepper and spearmint (his choice).
He was skeptical at first, but now carries the inhaler with him at all times.
I’m still trying to get him to use the toothpicks, I think they would help more.
That’s awesome Vikki! Thanks so much for sharing his experiences.
I have been feeling the conviction to quit smoking for quite some time now, but the truth is, I still really like and enjoy smoking and can’t envision my life without the beloved little suckers even though I know what they are doing to me. I have decided to do it anyway because I’ve begun to get these strange sensations in my throat and I’m secretly terrified that something is very, very wrong. I am happily using what I believe to be the best oils on the planet to accomplish this incredible struggle. I don’t have Black Pepper or Cinnamon in my collection, but I do have Cassia. So, of course, I placed my order today and will have the Black Pepper within the week. I am going to substitute Cassia in the place of Cinnamon so I went ahead and made a mixture with 1/2 tsp. FCO, 10 drops of Cassia, and 3 drops of Frankincense, with 25 toothpicks, and I can just add in the Black Pepper when it gets here. So far I do like them, they are fire hot and I have been able to prolong giving in for over two hours now (oh, the tiny little wins). Another trick that I am going to try the next time that I break down is to put a drop of something nasty tasting, like Cypress or Vetiver, on the filter end of my cigarette to help with making the act a very unpleasant one. Also, according to my book, The Essential Life, Cypress is supposed to help with being mentally fixated on the object of your addiction. Which is one of my biggest problems. I can make the choice to not smoke, I just can’t stop thinking about, which is why I end up breaking down. Please, just pray for me. And I’ll keep you posted as to how this evolves when The Black Pepper gets here. And thank you so very much for posting your recipe to Pinterest!
Good luck Kira! I’ll definitely be praying for you and your continued success
Hello! I found your website via Pinterest. I was a smoker of traditional cigarettes on and off for about ten years. I then transitioned to e-cigarettes (I’ve been using these for about two years now). I am desperate to quit because I find myself to be so secretive when I am smoking and it is not good for any relationship (whether with another person or oneself).
I made the recipe almost exactly as you posted it; in lieu of cinnamon bark, I am using cassia and in lieu of the fractionated coconut oil, I am using edible/cooking coconut oil. I am really banking on this working for me. I once quite using tea tree sticks (sold on Amazon).
My question is two-fold: have you ever heard of anyone succeeding using your recipe after using e-cigarettes and once the toothpicks have soaked up the oil, should you allow them to dry out or continue to leave them in the mason jar? (I know you said to re-tighten after removing a stick, but I just want to be absolutely clear)
Thank you so much! Have a great day!
Sorry for the dumb question, but how do you use these? Just suck on the end that has the oil?
Nah, that’s not dumb. I think most people chew them, but sucking would work too.
OK, all of you have said you would keep us posted…WHAT HAPPENED? I am ordering some new oils for this month and am going to kick the habit with essential oils. I was a 20+ year smoker & quite cold turkey, for eight years!! Unfortunately, I started back about 2 years ago. I’m ready to quit (for good) but really want something to help with the withdrawal this time. I’m going to make these with some clove (highly recommended for quitting & maybe some spearmint, as I smoke menthol. Wintergreen would work too, maybe ). I HATE toothpicks (anything wood) so it will be interesting to see how I do with these, but excited for something natural to assist me this time. It was a rough few months before. NEVER START SMOKING AGAIN if you quit, not even one! That’s all it took after 8 years & 4 months. One lousy smoke, I was right back to a almost a pack a day overnight! NEVER AGAIN!
Be careful with the wintergreen because you aren’t supposed to ingest it. I think clove would be a great pairing with the blank pepper though
It happened to me after 20 years of not smoking. I tried the quit sticks a few months ago and it worked for a couple of weeks and I’m gonna try again.
That’s awesome!
Just made these for my hubby. He’s skeptical but is willing to try, he really wants to quit. I’ll post his progress. I’ll also be sharing your page & his progress on my Facebook page. :-)
Good luck to your husband!
Anyone have success with this recipe? Interested in trying…Thanks for posting!
I am going to buy the mason jar today and try this. I read in modern essentials about the inhaling of black pepper. I have the oils now all I need is the willingness!! Wish me luck and I will keep you posted!!
I really love this idea! My boyfriend is trying to quit chewing tobacco, and I just mentioned to him earlier tonight that black pepper EO may be helpful. I offered this toothpick idea to him, but he said he’s not a big fan of toothpicks. So I’m trying to think of a way to incorporate the oils into a slightly different form, like maybe mimicking the pouch he normally uses. Any thoughts or ideas??
My husband is trying to quit chewing tobacco as well. He’s not a fan of toothpicks either, but is willing to try them if it means it might potentionally help him quit. I’m going to start with the Black Pepper and Cinnamon Bark recipe first. Then I’ll go from there.
I that this was originally posted in 2014. Do you have any testimonials of how well this works? I just made up a small batch and put them in a roller bottle without the roller to keep in my purse. I’m hoping these will help but I would like to hear from others who have tried it and succeeded in quitting :)
Can I use olive oil?
Sure. It would definitely alter the taste of the sticks though. I chose a tasteless oil so that the cinnamon would be all you taste.
I am on day 6 of a smoke free life! I am desperate to find anything to help relieve the withdrawal pangs! That’s of course how I stumbled on this post. I have a friend who sells these oils, I will do this experiment & let you know how it goes. And for reference I’ve smoked 25 yrs, quit 3x’s during pregnancy, and I’m 44 yrs old. I quit cold turkey this time, no patch no nothing!
Hi there! So how about an update? Did this work or help at all? Good luck!
No one else has asked this so I guess I will! How often is it safe to use these? I’m trying to quit and I just made these yesterday and let me tell you I want to put one in my mouth about every hour and I keep it there until pretty much all the smell is gone. The cinnamon bark is a pretty strong oil so I just want to make sure I’m not gonna make myself sick!
What a great question! You shouldn’t get sick from the oils. They are both completely safe to ingest. Unlike most medications, there isn’t a limit on how often you can use one either. So feel free to use as often as needed to keep you from smoking. Good luck on your difficult journey and I’m so proud of you for giving this a try! Thanks for reading.
Absolutely, making these within the next few days. Both my husband and I would like to quit. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Slim and Sassy with grapefruit sounds like a winner for the sugar one.
Just made this and how easy. My husband and I are excited to start this process. Will keep you all posted as we go.
I have to try this. I have been a smoker for 36 years and really need to stop, but have never had the will power to accomplish this major feat. I will let you know how it works out.
This is an amazing idea! I will be making these sticks today! …and let you know eventually, if they worked for my boyfriend or not! ;)
Since there haven’t been any smokers reply I will. I just mixed up a batch of these. And stuck the one I used to stir in my mouth. Works pretty good! I did 25 drops of black pepper, 20 of cinnamon, 5 of clove and 5 of mint. I will probably carry a few in a small plastic baggy or glass vial in my wallet.
Hey That’s AWESOME! Thanks so much for letting me know! Good luck on your quitting journey!
My husband is trying to quit and i just recently started buying doterrra oils, you better believe I’m trying this for him. Thank you. I will post how it works for him.
Awesome!
Does the person trying to quit smoking, suck /chew on the toothpicks, or just smell them?
All of the above. Whatever works best to help them calm their craving! While I am not a smoker, it’s my understanding that having something to either chew or use their hands also helps as a replacement for the fidgeting they would normally do while smoking. Thanks for asking!
My husband gave up smoking years ago, only to replace it with chewing tobacco. :( I will definitely be making these for him to try! Thanks!
Great Becki! Please let me know. I am thinking they need more black pepper. I can’t wait to hear what he thinks of them! Please come back and tell me.
OH, I am so going to pass this on to a son, who needs to quit!
Thanks Libby! I hope your son is willing and able to quit.
I may have to try this, I always heard clove was best for smoking. I never heard about black pepper. I just borrowed that book while waiting for my own to come in. I will read up on it.
Candi- that’s great. I seriously love my Modern Essentials book! I hope you let me know how the quit sticks work, especially if you experiment with the recipe. Thanks for commenting!
No smoking issues here, but would love something like this to use for sugar cravings. Any thoughts on a recipe for that????
That is a REALLY great idea Pam! I have such a problem with sugar. I’ll have to think on that one and experiment over the weekend. Pam, you might be a genius.
Dill is for sugar addiction
I just read that fennel stops sugar cravings
Thanks Debbi!
I have used dill diluted on my wrists and had success for the sugar!
I have a friend that uses cinnamon for sugar cravings maybe the tooth picks made without the black pepper would help
Sugar-craving sticks= Slim & Sassy + a citrus of your choosing or OnGuard???
Charity, Yes, I was thinking S&S, along with Grapefruit for blood sugar support. The issue is dosage, more so than ingredients. I’ll be working on a recipe and posting that after experimenting.
Thanks, that will be great!