What if COVID-19 is a virus that attacks the endocannabinoid system? That’s could easily be a reason why we don’t understand the disease. We don’t understand the endocannabinoid system, so anything is possible. I don’t know if this has been postulated, but it’s an interesting thesis.
Coronavirus is on all our minds, seemingly all the time. There’s a small, but growing body of knowledge when it comes to cannabis and COVID-19. Here are several stories that show a connection between cannabis and COVID-19. Does it help eliminate the virus? Probably not. Doe is help ameliorate the symptoms? Probably. Does it keep that cytokine storm that destroys lungs at bay? Perhaps.
There are so many unanswered questions about COVID-19. There are so many unanswered questions about cannabis and how it works in our bodies. Could there be a correlation? Could cannabis actually help?
There’s a growing body of evidence that shows that there is indeed a relationship between COVID-19 and cannabis. Science doesn’t understand either all the mechanisms of COVID-19 or the endocannabinoid system and there’s not a lot of current research. But there is some. The research that is out there is beginning to show there is a correlation.
Below are several articles culled from the web about the possible relationships between COVID-19 and cannabis. Nobody doing this research seems to want to make a direct correlation between cannabis and the pandemic. Is this a result of lingering stigma around cannabis? Make up your own mind about the quality of research conducted in each of these articles. We found 557 hits in a Google search (and many of them are duplicates.)
(11-23-2020) Here’s another story about COVID-19 and how it attacks the nervous system. If it attacks the nervous system, it’s attacking the endocannabinoid system as well)
Damaged Sense of Smell in Covid Patients Holds Clues to How Recovery Might Work
- Researchers study neurological reasons why some coronavirus patients often find familiar scents repulsive.
- Scientists are uncovering clues to explain how the coronavirus attacks the nervous system by studying a bizarre side effect of the infection that distorts sufferers’ sense of smell for months on end.
UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative launches COVID-19 survey
- Research on how cannabis use has changed for people during the pandemic.
- The research is investigating whether or not cannabis use has increased with the quarantines in place
- Has cannabis use increased or decreased during COVID-19
USC researchers think THC in marijuana may be able to treat deadly COVID complication
- USC in this case is not South California, it’s South Carolina (of all places)
- THC might be able to stop or ameliorate the worst lung associated symptoms of COVID-19 which leads quickly to death
- This was only tested on mice so far, but 100% of the mice infected with the lung problems (ARDS) survived.
Clarification: Is Cannabis a Cure for COVID-19?
- Both CBD and THC have been shown to reduce the inflammatory response associated with COVID-19
- There are currently 16 groups working on cures or symptom relief for COVID-19 with THC and CBD
- The research thus far shows that cannabis is not a total cure or a preventive for the disease, but it alleviates symptoms.
Cannabinoids and COVID-19
- Shows the relationship between the ECS (Endocannabinoid System) and THC and the immune system and how they’re interacting
- The research shows how inflammation is reduced in the body by ingestion of THC or CBD
- While it’s too early to tell and more study is needed, it’s impossible to test with a control group receiving a placebo because those tested are already symptomatic with COVID-19.
Medicinal cannabis may play a significant role during COVID-19
- This research shows cannabis has a history of safe use and has several properties that may work as anti-inflammatory vehicles in the human body
- There is great potential in treating the disease with whole plant cannabis
- Coagulation (a problem with the lung congestion) may be effectively reduced with cannabis whole plant therapy
Cannabis Shows Potential To Help And Harm In Coronavirus Cases: Experts Explain Why
- Research shows a positive response to the overproduction of cytokines in serious lung infections with CBD, terpenes and THC
- The one negative about cannabis and COVID-19 is a study that might show a correlation between cannabis use and COVID-19 susceptibility. This study has had a lot of criticism and has not been peer reviewed and we must always remember that correlation does not explain or demonstrate causation.
Conclusion
A lot of evidence is demonstrating that cannabis eases the worst symptoms of COVID-19. While the old saw that “more research needs to be done” might apply, there is no reason to not use cannabis during the pandemic.
