While the recent pandemic has caused an uproar in cannabis news, I’m here to debunk the myths and spit the facts when it comes to what helps and what doesn’t… Many companies have claimed that using their cannabis products will lower your risk of getting infected. I wish that was the case, but unfortunately those claims are unsubstantiated and… well…inaccurate.
Obviously, there’s no dependable research on CBD’s, GBG’s or THC’s effect on COVID-19. However here’s what we do know.
CBD can have a huge impact on your immune system when sick, or as a preventative measure. “CBD has been found to act as an immune system modulator. This means that its like a thermostat—it can turn the level of activity down or up, depending on the body’s needs” says Anna Symonds,director of East Fork Cultivars’ CBD Certified program. CBD also acts as a bronchodilator (a substance that dilates the bronchi and bronchioles, decreasing resistance in the respiratory airway and increasing airflow to the lungs), which can help with diminished lung capacity due to sickness. Just to clarify, this doesn’t mean that smoking will help you breathe… in fact when sick, smoking is the last thing you should do. Try edibles, tinctures, and salves for relief and save the smoking for when you’re feeling better.
CBG can also help with general wellness and may have a leg up when it comes to antibacterial properties. To read more in depth about CBG as an antimicrobial, check out “CBD and CBG in Your Hand Sanitizer?!” CBG is very promising in this department, but with what little we know about it, to claim it’ll keep you from getting infected or even cure Coronavirus is a stretch. These claims are likely surfacing due to the hit that the cannabis industry is taking due to COVID-19.
The New York Times Reports – “The likely impacts on the marijuana and hemp industries include: shortages of hardware manufactured in China, especially for cannabis vaporizers, as well as marijuana product packaging and specialty equipment for testing labs, extraction facilities and other businesses; shortfalls of raw Chinese hemp material being exported to the U.S. and elsewhere, and financial ripple effects from the downturn in stock markets, further scaring off investors from cannabis.” Now is a great time to experiment with new cannabis products. We have to get thru quarantine somehow! Just know that you won’t magically grow antibodies or be immune in any way. Stay safe, wash your hands, and roll personals if you decide you want to smoke!