One of the most common questions that we receive from patients in our dispensaries is if cannabis is safe to use if one contracts COVID-19, the disease created by the novel coronavirus. The answer isn’t quite that simple, as many patients rely on the healing properties of THC and CBD to function in their everyday lives.

However, COVID-19 can attack the respiratory system, clogging the lungs and making it difficult to breathe. That’s problematic when you want to inhale a cloud of Purple Punch, right? You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

Why Does COVID-19 Make it Harder to Breathe?  

In some cases, COVID-19 can lead to pneumonia, in which both lungs fill up with fluid and become inflamed, which makes it much harder to breathe. This can lead to shortness of breath or violent coughing.  

In extreme cases, this can also lead to ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome), which is caused by the lungs’ blood vessels leaking fluid into the air sacs, filling them up and making it even harder to breathe.  

I Rely on Cannabis to Live Healthily. How Can Ingest it if I am Having Trouble Breathing? 

As mentioned earlier, the preferred method for cannabis ingestion for many patients and recreational users is through inhaling smoke from burning the cannabis flower, vaporizing cannabis oil, or “dabbing” concentrates. However, this is incredibly challenging to do if your lungs are compromised thanks to the novel coronavirus, whether you are just feeling minor shortness of breath or are having serious complications breathing. Thankfully, there are many alternatives to inhaling cannabis smoke or vapor. We suggest using some of the following alternatives.  

  • Edibles: THC & CBD infused dessert treats are available in some markets  
  • Capsules / Tablets: Take with water, just like aspirin  
  • Tinctures: Administer orally using the dropper, with a few drops under the tongue 
  • THC Syrups: Add it to your beverage, but don’t put it on your pancakes 
  • Drinks: Some markets offer non-alcoholic THC/CBD infused beer and fruit punches 
  • Mists: Spray it in your mouth like a breath-freshener 
  • Lozenges: Let it slowly dissolve in your mouth, just like a cough drop 
  • Salves / Topicals: Rub it on your skin like lotion 
  • RSO: Stands for Rick Simpson Oil; incredibly high potency often used for cancer patients 
  • Transdermal Patches: Stick it on your skin and let it absorb 

These are just a few of the available alternatives across different markets that you can try out. Just remember, dosages are quite different when dealing with edibles or other products made from cannabis extracts, so be sure not to overdo it. Discover the option that’s right for you.  

What Products Do You Recommend If I Get Coronavirus?  

Each market has varying regulations surrounding the different types of cannabis derived/infused products that are legally allowed to be produced. Here’s what we recommend in the markets we operate in. All products are available at Bloc Dispensary locations.

PENNSYLVANIA:  

  • Dr. Solomon’s 1:1 Lotion 
  • Dr. Solomon’s THC Lotion 
  • Ilera 2:1 Topical Cream 
  • Ilera 10:1 Topical Cream 
  • Ilera 10:1 Tincture 
  • Vireo Red Extra Strength Tincture 
  • Prime Wellness THC Blend Tincture 
  • Prime Wellness THC Blend RSO 
  • Cresco Labs 1000mg Syringe RSO 
  • Farmaceutical RX 2:1 RSO 
  • Grassroots Full Spectrum RSO Capsules 
  • Cresco Awake Capsules 
  • Cresco Relax Capsules 
  • Standard Farms 1:1 Capsules 
  • Grassroots THC Tablets  

What if Coronavirus Causes Me Long Term Lung Damage, Will I Have to Stop Cannabis Vaping/Smoke Inhalation?   

It’s best to ask the advice of your doctor about this, as each patient is different.  

Can Cannabis Be Used to Treat COVID-19?  

Finally, some good news. Research is currently underway by the University of Nebraska and the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, which suggests that CBD may (and we emphasize may) be a potential solution in treating COVID-19. 

One of the main issues with COVID-19 is that it creates what scientists refer to as a “cytokine superstorm,” in which the immune system uncontrollably releases an excessive amount of inflammation throughout your body, leading to coughing, muscle aches, and fever. This is what causes the pneumonia that ultimately can clog your lungs and make it difficult to breathe.  

Therefore, scientists are searching for drugs that can reduce inflammation in the body. Some of the drugs they have tested have been successful, such as Tocilizumab (say that one three times fast), but not without devastating side-effects, like hypertriglyceridemia (whew!) and pancreatic inflammation.  

This has led to cannabis-derived CBD as a potential treatment, thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties that have been proven in previous studies, which don’t include these negative side effects. There’s more research to be done, but if cannabis was ultimately the cure, it wouldn’t surprise us one bit! 

For more information, visit Bloc Dispensary [in Utah, Bloc Pharmacy]

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilyearlenbaugh/2020/07/06/cannabis-may-reduce-deadly-covid-19-lung-inflammation-researchers-explain-why/#36a7a71e4d9d
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/what-coronavirus-does-to-the-lungs
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7187842/