Cannabis is a wonder plant with medical benefits. But you can it help people who are dealing with a common cold?
For people who have made cannabis a part of their regular lives, sicknesses like a common cold will not stop them from smoking up. Doing so, however, may actually be more detrimental to your condition.
We all know how cannabis can be a wonder herb for humankind. Apart from the recreational enjoyment that it brings, it has also been proven to have qualities that can be used for medical purposes.
In recent years, more studies have shown how some of the plant’s components are used to treat patients with nausea, insomnia, and even glaucoma. Furthermore, several types of research that have been conducted also showed how tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in particular is being used to reduce tumor growth in cancer patients.[1]
But if we narrow it down to more household conditions such as the common cold, there are two main schools of thought. The fact remains that cannabis still does have its medical benefits, but on the other hand, what can be put into question is how smoking, which is the general method of cannabis consumption, can possibly affect the condition.
THE CONS OF CANNABIS USE WITH A COLD
It has been established multiple that smoking cannabis is not that harmful to the lungs as many people think as medical experts and researchers alike have found no link between smoking marijuana and lung cancer, unlike cigarette smoking.
However, ingestion through smoking can definitely still be a cause for irritation of the airways in the lungs. Studies have shown that heavy smokers have either lost some of their capacity to make full exhales or have been found to have signs of inflammation, which eventually leads to asthma-like symptoms.
In the case of dealing with a cold, where your throat and chest and pretty much filled with mucus, irritating it further by smoking may not be such a good idea.
THE PROS OF CANNABIS USE WITH A COLD
On the other hand, cannabis also helps the human body to deal with the virus, in more ways than one. Firstly, it can help promote better sleep, which in turn, speeds up the healing process. If the irritation from the condition keeps you up at night, cannabis can make it all a lot more bearable to handle.
It has also been found that cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive component of the plant, has good antioxidant properties that provide a supplement for the body’s natural endocannabinoids, which are released during the natural immune system response.
CBD is being considered as one major component to combat many illnesses, including the common cold, and other ailments like flu, which are usually at its peak during the colder seasons.
CBD also has anti-bacterial properties to help fighting the virus, as well as anti-inflammatory properties that can help to open up the clogged sinuses and help you breath easier.
CANNABIS USE WHEN DEALING WITH A FEVER
When the colds eventually graduate into a full-blown fever, you will likely be bed-ridden for the entire duration of it. The goal, of course, is to keep the temperature down and maintain the level of fluids in the body to avoid dehydration.
Just like how it is with dealing with the cold, cannabis can help lower the overall body temperature, serving as a good substitute for Paracetamol. Medical experts have found this out by comparing the body temperatures of people with THC metabolites in their urine with people without them, and found out that the latter’s was “significantly higher.”
THE HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE TO SMOKING WEED WHEN HAVING A COLD
Smoking might not be the best way to use cannabis when dealing with a cold or fever, and you wish to medicate with some cannabis. With that being said, you can try other forms of consumption, since there are a few others that do not cause any irritation that smoking might.
If blowing smoke is still a favorite method of yours, you can go with using vaporizers. This method does not put direct fire on the plant, which means you get to inhale and savor the healthy components and eliminate the other particles that may turn into tar in your lungs. Just try to take it easy on inhaling to spare your lungs a bit.
Another way of consumption is through edibles like oil or a drink you can enjoy. This also enables you to take in the ‘superfood’ components of cannabis such as the omega 3 fatty acids that help strengthen the immune system. There are CBD oils that can be taken in drop form, and the herb itself can be mixed in with other ingredients like ginger, lemon, and honey to make it into a soothing cannabis tea.
