Get COVID, Start Using Cannabis Immediately!

What a new study on cannabis use and COVID-19 hospitalizations has found

A new study has just revealed intriguing findings about a link between cannabis use and COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Researchers analyzed 1,831 COVID patients and then performed a retrospective analysis. It included comparisons of NIH-COVID-19 severity scores, supplemental oxygen requirements, mechanical ventilation, ICU admissions, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital deaths in both cannabis users and non-users. The results of the findings, published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, stated that “cannabis use is associated with lower severity of COVID-19 among hospitalized patients.”

The researchers added that “despite five times higher concomitant tobacco use among cannabis users compared to non-users in our study population, cannabis may actually lead to reduced disease severity and better outcomes.”

“Cannabis users had significantly better outcomes compared to non-users, as reflected in lower NIH scores (5.1 versus 6.0), shorter hospital stays (4 days versus 6 days), lower ICU admission rates (12% versus 31%) and less reflecting the need for mechanical ventilation (6% vs. 17%),” the study said. “ICU admissions were 12 percentage points lower and intubation rates were 6 percentage points lower in cannabis users,” it said.

“Of the 1,831 COVID patients in the study, 69 patients reported active cannabis use, which represented only 4% of all patients,” the study states. “It is important to note that the differences in overall survival between cannabis users and non-users were not statistically significant.”

The report concludes that “cannabis users were more likely to have lower inflammatory markers at intake than non-users. This effect persisted throughout their hospital stay, with cannabis users continuing to have lower markers of inflammation compared to non-users.”

The researchers added, “This is the first study to look at the clinical outcomes of cannabis users hospitalized with COVID-19.”

What other studies are saying about COVID-19 and cannabis

Numerous studies have been conducted in recent months during the pandemic demonstrating the effectiveness of cannabis in reducing the severity of COVID-19.

It seems that the plant’s anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties may actually help people suffering from this terrible disease. Scientists have found that cannabis activates the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the immune and non-immune cells of the human body. As a result, the body can regulate immune response and pain more effectively, allowing the endocannabinoid system to reduce inflammation. Cannabinoids have also been shown to be effective in treating and killing viruses, even treatment-resistant viruses.

A recent study published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research discussed the potential of using CBD to treat inflammatory symptoms of the virus. Researchers analyzed papers for the study, 5 of which were conducted in vivo and 3 in vitro using human tissue. They found that CBD was effective in reducing several inflammatory cytokines while reducing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Additionally, researchers found that CBD reduced inflammatory lung infiltration, protein excretion, asthma-related inflammation, and other symptoms. Meanwhile, CBD has been linked to a reduction in A2A receptors in human tissue models in vitro.

Earlier this year, University of Oregon researchers found that CBGA and CBDA exhibited anti-COVID activity when tested in the lab. The results of the study, published in the Journal of Natural Products, showed that these two cannabinoids prevented SARS-CoV-2 from entering human epithelial cells, and the authors added that the cannabinoids were equally beneficial in fighting multiple variants be.

CBGA and CBDA are found in high amounts in hemp plants as well as some hemp extracts. They also found that both CBD and THC weren’t as effective. “These cannabinoids, which are orally bioavailable and have a long history of safe use in humans, have the potential to prevent and treat infection from SARS-CoV-2.”

More research needed

The current studies on COVID-19 and cannabis are definitely promising and we need more studies to learn how cannabis can be used in smart ways to manage these infections.

As consumers, we must be careful not to rely solely on cannabis or hemp for treatment of COVID-19 until we know more. Manufacturers can also get in trouble with the FDA for claiming their product can treat COVID-19. For example, over the past year, the FDA has labeled several CBD products for claiming they can treat them. One analysis said: “We reviewed letters over an 18-month period (March 6, 2020 to August 30, 2021) sent by the FDA’s CDER to noncompliant companies [Center for Drug Evaluation and Research]. We have attached non-compliance letters with the subject “Unapproved and Mislabelled Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)”.

The researchers found that among the products making false claims about treating COVID-19, CBD was the most common: “Cannabidiol-related substances led the spectrum of products, led the spectrum of products with unsubstantiated claims to treat the… COVID-19 infection at…. CBD products contained false advertising and misleading claims that could have public health consequences,” it said.

For these reasons, consumers should tread carefully and use the information to make wiser decisions. There is still a lot of fake and inaccurate information out there. If you or someone you love has contracted COVID-19 remember to continue to rely on traditional protocol to treat symptoms until there is much more research on how we can use cannabis for treatment. While there is already plenty of preclinical data supporting the effectiveness of cannabinoids in COVID, there is still a lack of actual clinical data that is needed.

MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT CANNABIS IN COVID, READ MORE…

HOW CANNABIS BLOCKS THE CORONAVIRUS CELL PATHWAY