During this horrifying pandemic, every marijuana user is wondering if they could possibly cure or prevent COVID-19 with cannabis. One can’t help but wonder if it could also make it worse. It seems like a tough bargain considering that scientists and researchers haven’t found a vaccine for this novel virus.
With the state of the world, researchers can’t also start testing CBD versus coronavirus legally. Hence, there is not much evidence suggesting that CBD can help prevent or cure a coronavirus infection. In fact, cannabis smokers should refrain from smoking during this pandemic because smoke irritation will only make you more susceptible to infection.
According to UCLA professor Dr. Donald Tashkin, cannabis smoking will increase symptoms of bronchitis like inflammation in the lungs, phlegm production, and coughing. While marijuana smoking has fewer effects than tobacco, smoking anything at a time when we’re battling an airborne respiratory pandemic only increases your risk.
Hence the best thing to do right now is to avoid smoking in general. We would suggest less smoking for non-smokers, but most COVID-19 we have witnessed so far have been respiratory deaths, so it is best just to avoid smoke as much as you can.
Does Cannabis Improve Resistance?
Whether cannabis can improve resistance against COVID-19 is not public knowledge yet. However, CBD does dampen the immune system’s response to new infections. It has immunosuppressive qualities that reduce inflammation.
Keith has a lot of articles on the benefits of CBD oil that you can refer to at The Hempire.
Immunosuppressive properties are helping in fighting viruses that replicate by exploiting inflammation. However, we can’t say that these immune effects CBD has for other viruses are helpful or harmful for COVID-19 not until researchers can ascertain this.
However, CBD has been known to reduce specific comorbidities of this novel virus. It has been noted that conditions like obesity and diabetes can complicate coronavirus. Cannabis has been associated with lowering the incidence of both diseases.
Patience battling alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse can also use CBD to reduce their urges, which will also help reduce their chances or complicating coronavirus since drinking and smoking will only do so.
CBD does have some disease-prevention qualities that could more so help rather than harm the progression of coronavirus, bringing down inflammation being top of the list. Research has also shown that THC and CBD can inhibit IL-6, an inhibitor that can help bring down harmful cytokine storms.
Researchers found that in the death cases of COVID-19, a big piece is due to an overactive immune response known as a cytokine storm.Cytokine storms cause inflammation that damage the patient’s body leading to their death.
However, while we know that CBD has immense anti-inflammatory action, researchers still don’t know how to harness that action to treat specific diseases. The cannabis flower and root have been used to reduce inflammatory effects in previous times.
CBD also has antiviral effects. In animal experiments, cannabis reduces viral infection with HIV. However, it is still unlikely that CBD can help with COVID-19 using this antiviral route. Cannabis and CBD haven’t been used before to treat viruses; they have only been used to manage the symptoms.
CBD also reduces oxidative stress, which has been a critical component of coronavirus injury to critical organs like the brain and heart. These properties could be why cannabis smokers with THC in their system might survive a trip to the emergency room for heart ailments like myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation, both of which have been complications found in people with severe cases of COVID-19.
However, even with these properties favoring cannabis and CBD, we advise that caution be taken before assuming that cannabis can cure or prevent COVID-19. There are lots of claims from people that are unsubstantiated. Cannabis users want to believe that marijuana and CBD can help when you have the virus, while anti-cannabis people want to insist that cannabis will harm you when you contract the virus.
You should also remember that the anti-inflammatory prowess of CBD and THC also has to do with the interplay between the immune system and cannabinoids. This makes the process complex, bidirectional, and adaptive.
For instance, Louisiana State University Scientists did a study in 2014that shows that regular use of cannabis could increase white blood cell counts in immune deficiency ailments like HIV, which suggest pro-inflammatory immune-boosting effects. However, this is the exact opposite of what mitigates a viral-induced cytokine storm.
Needless to say, your safest bet right now is to maintain hygiene, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, wash your hands regularly with soap, wear a mask while outside, and maintain a healthy diet. Your safest bet is to stay safe and follow everything WHO and NHS request of you.
Meanwhile, the benefits and properties of CBD can’t be overlooked.Visit hereto learn more about CBD.
