'The most striking feature of the medical evidence is perhaps the large number of practitioners of long experience who have seen no evidence of any connection between hemp drugs and disease, and when witnesses who speak to these ill effects from the moderate use are cross-examined, it is found that (a) their opinions are based on popular ideas on the subject; (b) they have not discriminated between the effects of moderate and excessive use of the drugs; (c) they have accepted the diseases as being induced by hemp drugs because the patients confessed to the habit; and (d) the fact has been overlooked that the smoking of hemp drugs is recognized as a remedial agent in asthma and bronchitis...[F]or the vast majority of consumers, the Commission consider that the evidence shows the moderate use of ganja or charas not to be appreciably harmful, while in the case of moderate bhang drinking the evidence shows the habit to be quite harmless.'
- Report of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1894-95
According to longitudinal study data published last year in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, “[I]t is increasingly clear that cannabis has different effects on lung function [as compared] to tobacco and the effects of widespread cannabis use will not necessarily mirror the harms caused by tobacco smoking.”
- NORML
'In general, our findings showed that cannabis use over 20 years was unrelated to health problems in early midlife. Across several domains of health (periodontal health, lung function, systemic inflammation, and metabolic health), clear evidence of an adverse association with cannabis use was apparent for only one domain, namely, periodontal health. Cannabis use from ages 26 to 38 years was not associated with within-individual health decline during this 12-year period with the exception of periodontal health. By comparison, tobacco use was associated with worse periodontal health, lung function, systemic inflammation, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and glucose levels in early midlife, as well as health decline from ages 26 to 38 years.'
- JAMA Network
Long terms studies comparing pulmonary health of tobacco smokers and cannabis smokers show that cannabis is more beneficial for the lungs than tobacco. One of the key reasons is that tobacco smokers are likely to smoke a much larger number of cigarettes than even the most heavy cannabis smokers, due to the highly addictive nature of nicotine, and its low psychotropic power, as compared to cannabis. It is quite common for serious tobacco smokers to smoke up to 40 cigarettes, or more, a day whereas even the heaviest cannabis smokers may not consume more than 20 joints a day. The average tobacco smoker probably smokes about 10 cigarettes a day, while the average cannabis smoker smokes around 3 joints a day. Tobacco is said to contain more than 400 carcinogens. Cannabis is considered potent treatment for many forms of cancer. Millions die each year from tobacco use while the number of known deaths from cannabis smoking is zero. Long term studies indicate that cannabis smoking has been found to actually increase lung capacity compared to tobacco. In addition cannabis is known to be anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anxiolytic, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, possible cardioprotective as well as beneficial for treating tuberculosis, asthma and lung cancer.
As early as in the 19th century, it was found that cannabis is good medicine for the lungs. It was used by Indian physicians to treat bronchitis and asthma. The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission of 1894-95, states that - '461. In the treatment of diseases of the respiratory organs, hemp
drugs are stated to be used in hay-fever, asthma, bronchitis, and
coughs, inhalation of ganja smoke being the usual mode of exhibiting the
drug. Pounded bhang leaves are stated to be sometimes used as a snuff
in catarrh and "diseases of the nose and head."'
Early opponents of cannabis tried to create the myth that cannabis usage actually caused bronchitis and asthma. This was disproved by the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission of 1894-95 as a part of its studies. The Commission made the following conclusions in its Summary - '463. In asthma and bronchitis inhalation of ganja smoke appears to be
very frequently prescribed; while, on the other hand, there is evidence
which tends to indicate that both affections may be induced by charas
or ganja smoking indulged in as a habit. The inhalation of ganja smoke
may very possibly first act as a pulmonary sedative, diminishing the
secretion of mucus, and after long continuance as an irritant increasing
mucus secretion, and giving rise to a chronic bronchitis. In
considering the therapeutic action of ganja and charas smoke in these
affections, it must be remembered that the drugs are as a rule smoked
admixed with tobacco from a chillum, and the smoke inhaled into the
lungs in a similar manner as sometimes in cigarette smoking. In ganja
smoking, however, the inspiratory act is far greater and more prolonged,
a larger volume of smoke entering the lungs than in cigarette smoking.
In smoking ordinary tobacco the composition of the smoke will vary
according to the amount of air admitted during combustion, oxidation
being thus more perfect in cigar than in pipe smoking. In smoking
tobacco from a pipe, pyridine is one of the chief aromatic bases
produced. In smoking a mixture of ganja or charas and tobacco, aromatic
hydrocarbons must also be formed: pyridine and others from the tobacco,
and aromatic hydrocarbons also from the hemp drug, though at present we
are not in a position to indicate the precise nature of the hydrocarbons
afforded by its dry distillation. The base pyridine which is found in
pipe smoke possesses the power, according to Germain Sée (Comptes Rend.
Ac. Science, 1886), of diminishing the reflex activity of the
respiratory centre, and may thus act as a pulmonary sedative; and,
according to Lauder Brunton, the inhalation of the vapour of pyridine
has been used in asthma with beneficial effect. Tobacco smoking has also
been recommended in the treatment of asthma. Irrespective, therefore,
of the products afforded by the hemp drugs, the tobacco smoke may be
thus of value in both bronchitis and asthma. But long-continued smoking,
whether of ganja or of any other substance, doubtless results in the
deposition of finely divided carbonaceous matter in the lung tissues,
and the presence of other irritating substances in the smoke ultimately
causes local irritation of the bronchial mucous membrane, leading to
increased secretion, and resulting in the condition which is described
as chronic bronchitis in ganja smokers. Whether true asthma can be
induced by hemp drug smoking, the Commission consider open to much
doubt. It appears to them highly probable that the drugs are smoked in
the first instance for the relief of that disease. On the other hand, it
is well known that frequent asthmatic seizures result in emphysema of
the lungs and attendant bronchitis; and possibly most cases of hemp drug
bronchitis are associated with emphysema, induced partly by the strain
mechanically thrown on the lungs in smoking, and partly as a result of
the chronic bronchitis. So that in considering the œtiology of
associated asthma and bronchitis in ganja smokers, they are inclined to
the view that in the vast majority of cases the drug is not the cause.
In many of the statements of witnesses regarding alleged experience
there is no satisfactory evidence of even the co-existence of these
diseases with the habit of using hemp drugs. And when that co-existence
is reasonably established, there is often no good ground for accepting
the relation of cause and effect. The drugs may have been used in many
cases owing to the popular notion that they alleviate these diseases. At
the same time there is some evidence that the drugs may cause
bronchitis or bronchial catarrh as above described. There is no
satisfactory evidence that they ever cause asthma.'
Reiterating their confidence in the evidence of medical experts regarding the harmful physical and moral effects of moderate use, the Commission states - 'The most striking feature of the medical evidence is perhaps the large number of practitioners of long experience who have seen no evidence of any connection between hemp drugs and disease, and when witnesses who speak to these ill effects from the moderate use are cross-examined, it is found that (a) their opinions are based on popular ideas on the subject; (b) they have not discriminated between the effects of moderate and excessive use of the drugs; (c) they have accepted the diseases as being induced by hemp drugs because the patients confessed to the habit; and (d) the fact has been overlooked that the smoking of hemp drugs is recognized as a remedial agent in asthma and bronchitis...[F]or the vast majority of consumers, the Commission consider that the evidence shows the moderate use of ganja or charas not to be appreciably harmful, while in the case of moderate bhang drinking the evidence shows the habit to be quite harmless.'
From individual witness statements made before the Hemp Commission, we see the use of cannabis for treating asthma, bronchitis and its expectorant qualities in removing phlegm. Babu Pran Kumar Das, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector and Personal Assistant to the Commissioner of Burdwan, says, 'Ganja is smoked for gonorrhœa, asthma, and hydrocele.' Babu Abhilas Chandra Mukerjee, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, on deputation as 2nd Inspector of Excise, Bengal, says, 'In asthma ganja is smoked.' Babu Roy Brahma Dutt, Kayasth, Excise Deputy Collector, Darbhanga, says, 'In Bháo Prakásh and other books on therapeutics, the hemp plant (bhang) is prescribed as a remedy for several diseases, of which some are mentioned below:— Piles, chronic diseases, gleet, phlegm, dysentery.' Rai Tara Persad Mukerjee, Brahman, Zamindar, Pleader, Saran Bar, Chairman of Municipal Board, Revelganj, and of Local Board, Chapra, President, Bench of Magistrates, Chapra and Revelganj, says, 'Fakirs smoke ganja for the purpose of preventing the accumulation of phlegm, since they have to travel on pilgrimages in different climates.' Babu Beprodas Banerjee, Brahman, Pleader, Newspaper Editor, and Chairman, Baraset Municipality, says, 'A preparation of ganja is used by kabirajes in asthma.' Chintamani Nand Vidya Bhushana, Uria Brahmin, late Tahsildar, Sonepur, Sambalpur, says, 'Bhanga is destructive of asthma;' Surgeon-Major H. K. Mckay, Civil Surgeon, Nagpur, says, 'Bhang is used in dysentery, dyspepsia, piles, bronchitis, and also as a tonic.' Apothecary George Murphy, Civil Surgeon, Mandla, says, 'Bhang and charas are occasionally prescribed by local " baids" in very small doses for their stimulating, tonic effect, and also as antispasmodics in colic and asthma.' Adhar Singh Gour, Kshattri, Barrister-at-law, Hoshangabad, says, 'Susruta, a book on medicine in Sanskrit, says that the drug is a good medicine for getting together the phlegm in the larynx and ejecting it.' Mr. C. H. Mounsey, Acting Collector of Cuddapah, says, 'I append a copy of the Chitvel Hospital Assistant's answer for the convenience of reference:-"Yes; prescribed for bronchitis, mixed with sugar or jaggery;' Mr. F. D. A. O. Wolfe-Murray, Acting Collector of the Nilgiris, says, 'Bhang is used for asthma and other diseases.' Mr. K. C. Manavedan Raja, Collector, Anantapur, says, 'It is said that these drugs are prepared as a stimulant for asthma.' A. Krishnamacharulu, Tahsildar, Bapatla, Kistna District, says, 'It possesses antispasmodic and anodyne powers and is useful in neuralgic affections, whooping coughs, asthma, tetanus and hydrophobia.' M. Bimachari, Tahsildar, Rayadrug, says, 'Native doctors prescribe ganja cigarettes for asthma.' Munshi S. Mohamed Unwur Sahib, Tahsildar, Suthanapully Taluk, Kistna District, says, 'Ganja is largely prescribed on account of its medicinal qualities by native doctors to cure cough, asthma, rheumatism, and cold.' Mr. R. W. Morgan, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Ootacamund, Nilgiris, says, 'The moderate use of bhang may be beneficial medicinally for asthma and other diseases. The smoke of bhang is probably a germicide and disinfectant, and this may act as a preventive of disease.' Surgeon-Major R. Pemberton, Civil Surgeon, Cochin, says, 'Is used very often in asthma and in painful rheumatic affection.' Sagi Rama Sastry, Brahmin, Inamdar and Native Doctor, Rajahmundry, Godavari District, says, 'By a moderate use of the drug, the consumer feels pleasant and gets rid of cough, if he has any.' Ganesh Krishna Garde, Brahmin, Medical Practitioner, Poona City, says, 'Ganja is also prescribed by native doctors but not for internal use, but only as a fumigation to piles and inhalation in asthma.' Army Witness No. 229 says, 'Also sometimes used as an antispasmodic during fits of asthma.'
An experiment was carried out over a period of eight months by Dr. D D Cunningham on a rhesus macaque in 19th century India where he administered the animal with ganja smoke for eight months and then dissected its body to examine the results. This was reported to the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission of 1894-95. In the report, it says that - '"The lungs were quite exceptionally healthy for a caged monkey, neither of them being in the least degree adherent to the thoracic walls; the left one being apparently perfectly healthy, and the right merely showing a few patches of deep congestion towards the base.'
Recent studies have further strengthened the premise that cannabis is good for the lungs. A recent study by The British Pharmacological Society states that - 'Current study demonstrates for the first time that THC attenuates SEB [Staphylococcal enterotoxin-B]-mediated ARDS [Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome] and toxicity by altering the microbiota in the lungs and the gut as well as promoting anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory pathways.'
The Covid-19 pandemic is said to have caused great damage to pulmonary health world wide. Whether this damage was caused by the virus per se, or the numerous cocktails of opioids, steroids, analgesics, antihistamines, antivirals and antibacterials is a question that nobody wishes to answer. Regarding the damage that opium does to the lungs, William S Burroughs writes in his book Junk, 'There was a raw ache in my lungs. People vary in the way junk sickness affects them...The asthmatic type, with narrow and deep chest, is liable to violent fits of sneezing, watering at eyes and nose, in some cases spasms of the bronchial tubes that shut off the breathing.' Steroids were widely prescribed for Covid related lung inflammation, with adverse effects that were much more severe than the cure that was intended. BBC reports that - 'Steroids reduce inflammation in the lungs for Covid-19 and appear to help stop some of the damage that can happen when the body's immune system goes into overdrive to fight off coronavirus. But they also reduce immunity and push up blood sugar levels in both diabetics and non-diabetic Covid-19 patients. It's thought that this drop in immunity could be triggering these cases of mucormycosis.' Many studies came out stating that cannabis is a useful treatment for Covid induced lung inflammation, but most of these were ignored by the medical industry and the general public. For example, Nature published a study that said - 'Treatment with FCBD[ C. sativa Arbel strain] induced macrophage (differentiated KG1 cell line) polarization and phagocytosis in vitro, and increased CD36 and type II receptor for the Fc region of IgG (Fc?RII) expression. FCBD treatment also substantially increased IL-6 and IL-8 expression in macrophages. FCBD:std, while maintaining anti-inflammatory activity in alveolar epithelial cells, led to reduced phagocytosis and pro-inflammatory IL secretion in macrophages in comparison to FCBD. The phytocannabinoid formulation may show superior activity versus the cannabis-derived fraction for reduction of lung inflammation, yet there is a need of caution proposing cannabis as treatment for COVID-19.' Today, we see increasing cases of pneumonia. I attribute these completely to the widespread vaccines that were administered in the name of Covid, and the subsequent creation of the Omicron variant that rendered all vaccines ineffective, and further caused rampant pulmonary damage.
Looking at the bigger picture of worldwide pulmonary health, the most common cause of pulmonary disease is air pollution. Air pollution is mainly caused through the production and use of fossil fuels. Air pollution is said to kill 10 times more people worldwide every year than tobacco smoking. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) contributes to a large number of global deaths each year. As for deaths from cannabis smoking associated with lung diseases, the number is negligible. Some of the key sources of air pollution are burning of petrochemicals and fossil fuels and their byproducts such as non-biodegradable plastics. Then we have crop stubble burning by farmers in order to speed up agricultural crop cycles. So, if worldwide pulmonary functions and health is an important aspect of health goals and targets for nations and health organizations, then first addressing air pollution, and second tobacco smoking, should be the order of priority. Instead of cannabis prohibition on the basis of potential lung damage due to smoking, the legalization of cannabis for adult recreational use should be looked at as a harm reduction strategy that can address both air pollution from fossil fuels, as well as tobacco related lung diseases. Cannabis based bio-fuels and super-capacitors could help shift energy production and storage to renewable and green technologies, further reducing air pollution due to fossil fuel based energy production. The replacement of non-biodegradable plastics with biodegradable hemp based plastics can reduce the plastic menace in the air. The petrochemical industry has been one of the key industries opposed to cannabis. The usage of hempcrete by the construction industry can vastly reduce the production of concrete. Hemp based paper can vastly reduce deforestation for timber that supplies the pulp and paper industries. Cannabis as a major environment friendly agricultural crop, instead of resource intensive crops - such as rice - can reduce crop stubble burning which causes massive air pollution in many parts of the world. Cannabis as pain and inflammation medicine can reduce the harms caused to the lungs through overuse of opioids and other synthetic pharmaceutical drugs.
Legalization of cannabis will vastly reduce the harms done by
the medical industry through its improper prescription of pharma drugs,
and the subsequent use of medical devices such as oxygen units,
concentrators, ventilators, etc., in order to fleece vulnerable patients.
Increased social consumption areas for cannabis, an increase of social and cultural events that allow the use of cannabis, increased use of accessories - such as water pipes - as well as rules that allow smoking of cannabis in all places that allow the smoking of tobacco, including in workplaces involving non-hazardous work, could see a shift from tobacco to cannabis, with its accompanied reduced consumption, leading to an overall improvement in lung health.
Who knows, the consumption of cannabis may also bring about a social and mental shift as people become more organic, environmentally aware and more likely to create sustainable products, and use bicycles and public transport instead of automobiles and petrochemical based transport.
All these steps will directly and indirectly protect the lungs of humans and other animals, as well as the lungs of the world, its forests and other natural mechanisms.
Related articles
The following list of articles taken from various media speak about the above subject. Words in italics are the thoughts of yours truly at the time of reading the article.Researchers surveyed over 5,000 respondents on their views regarding smoking. Forty-three percent of respondents perceived the daily smoking of one cannabis cigarette to be either “much safer” or “somewhat safer” than the daily use of tobacco cigarettes — up from 36 percent in 2017. About 30 percent of respondents viewed the two products as equally dangerous to health. Younger respondents were most likely to have shifted their views over time, whereas retirees were least likely to have done so.
Forty percent of respondents perceived exposure to second-hand marijuana smoke to be either “much safer” or “somewhat safer” than tobacco smoke, up from 35 percent in 2017.
Although the study’s lead author criticized Americans’ changing perceptions toward cannabis, numerous scientific studies reinforce the fact that cannabis smoke exposure poses far fewer risks to health than does tobacco. For example, longitudinal studies show that cannabis smoking, even long-term, is not associated with an increased risk of either lung cancer, COPD, or other significant adverse effects on pulmonary function.
Other studies indicate that cannabis smoke and tobacco smoke are not equally carcinogenic and that subjects who exclusively smoke cannabis possess a reduced level of exposure to harmful toxicants and carcinogens than do those who smoke tobacco cigarettes. Some researchers have also theorized that cannabinoids’ anti-cancer activities may offset some of the harms otherwise associated with inhaling combustive smoke.
According to longitudinal study data published last year in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, “[I]t is increasingly clear that cannabis has different effects on lung function [as compared] to tobacco and the effects of widespread cannabis use will not necessarily mirror the harms caused by tobacco smoking.”
'Timely introduction and full-scale implementation of accessible harm reduction programmes can prevent HIV infections, as well as many cases of viral hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis and drug overdose. The United Nations system is united in promoting harm reduction services and decriminalization of personal possession of drugs, based on the evidence that harm reduction and decriminalization provide substantial public and personal health benefits and do not increase the number of people with drug dependency. Despite this position, reflected in the United Nations system common position supporting the implementation of the international drug control policy through effective inter-agency collaboration, in reality less than 1% of people who inject drugs live in countries with the United Nations-recommended levels of coverage of needles, syringes and opioid substitution therapy, and the funding gap for harm reduction in low- and middle-income countries sits at a dismal 95%.
Even where harm reduction services are available, they are not necessarily accessible. Punitive drug control laws, policies and law enforcement practices have been shown to be among the largest obstacles to health care in many countries. Criminalization of drug use and harsh punishments (such as incarceration, high fines or removal of children from their parents) discourage the uptake of HIV services, drive people underground and lead to unsafe injecting practices, and increase the risk of overdose. Women who use drugs face higher rates of conviction and incarceration than men who use drugs, contributing to the increased levels of stigma and discrimination they face in health-care settings. In effect, criminalization of drug use and possession for personal use significantly and negatively impact the realization of the right to health.'
https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2021/november/20211101_international-drug-users-day
Even where harm reduction services are available, they are not necessarily accessible. Punitive drug control laws, policies and law enforcement practices have been shown to be among the largest obstacles to health care in many countries. Criminalization of drug use and harsh punishments (such as incarceration, high fines or removal of children from their parents) discourage the uptake of HIV services, drive people underground and lead to unsafe injecting practices, and increase the risk of overdose. Women who use drugs face higher rates of conviction and incarceration than men who use drugs, contributing to the increased levels of stigma and discrimination they face in health-care settings. In effect, criminalization of drug use and possession for personal use significantly and negatively impact the realization of the right to health.'
https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2021/november/20211101_international-drug-users-day
'I’m no JUUL apologist. I’m a well-documented critic of Big Tobacco, and my think tank Parabola Center has written specific language to disqualify corporations who harm public health and lie about it from participating in the national marijuana industry. My concerns are based on evidence. When leaders disregard evidence and take advantage of emergencies for their own political purposes, they hurt more than their own credibility. They harm public health. They hurt real people.
Maybe there were good reasons to pass a ban on the sale of flavored nicotine. If so, we never heard them. Instead, evidence continues to demonstrate that our foolish ban led to bankrupt businesses, more illnesses, and unnecessary deaths'
https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/during-the-vapi-lung-crisis-massachusetts-banned-all-vapes-we-were-wrong
Maybe there were good reasons to pass a ban on the sale of flavored nicotine. If so, we never heard them. Instead, evidence continues to demonstrate that our foolish ban led to bankrupt businesses, more illnesses, and unnecessary deaths'
https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/during-the-vapi-lung-crisis-massachusetts-banned-all-vapes-we-were-wrong
'The daily consumption of cannabinoid extracts is associated with tumor regression in an elderly patient with lung cancer, according to a case study published in the journal BMJ Case Reports.
British investigators reported on the case of a woman in her 80s diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in her lungs. She refused conventional anti-cancer treatments but reported ingesting cannabinoid extracts (21 percent CBD and 20 percent THC) two-to-three times a day for a period of 2.5 years.
CT scans showed a 76 percent reduction in the size of her tumor over this time period.
Authors concluded, “The potential for cannabinoids to be used as an alternative to augment or replace conventional primary cancer treatments definitely justifies further research.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/10/21/case-report-thc-cbd-administration-associated-with-lung-tumor-regression
British investigators reported on the case of a woman in her 80s diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in her lungs. She refused conventional anti-cancer treatments but reported ingesting cannabinoid extracts (21 percent CBD and 20 percent THC) two-to-three times a day for a period of 2.5 years.
CT scans showed a 76 percent reduction in the size of her tumor over this time period.
Authors concluded, “The potential for cannabinoids to be used as an alternative to augment or replace conventional primary cancer treatments definitely justifies further research.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/10/21/case-report-thc-cbd-administration-associated-with-lung-tumor-regression
'Abstract
Given the abundancy of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors density, beyond the lung, the intestine is considered as an alternative site of infection and replication for severe acute respiratory syndrome by coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Cannabidiol (CBD) has recently been proposed in the management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) respiratory symptoms because of its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity exerted in the lung. In this study, we demonstrated the in vitro PPAR-?-dependent efficacy of CBD (10-9-10-7 M) in preventing epithelial damage and hyperinflammatory response triggered by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) in a Caco-2 cells. Immunoblot analysis revealed that CBD was able to reduce all the analyzed proinflammatory markers triggered by SP incubation, such as tool-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), ACE-2, family members of Ras homologues A-GTPase (RhoA-GTPase), inflammasome complex (NLRP3), and Caspase-1. CBD caused a parallel inhibition of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), and IL-18 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay. By immunofluorescence analysis, we observed increased expression of tight-junction proteins and restoration of transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) following CBD treatment, as well as the rescue of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)–dextran permeability induced by SP. Our data indicate, in conclusion, that CBD is a powerful inhibitor of SP protein enterotoxicity in vitro.'
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ptr.7302
Given the abundancy of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors density, beyond the lung, the intestine is considered as an alternative site of infection and replication for severe acute respiratory syndrome by coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Cannabidiol (CBD) has recently been proposed in the management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) respiratory symptoms because of its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity exerted in the lung. In this study, we demonstrated the in vitro PPAR-?-dependent efficacy of CBD (10-9-10-7 M) in preventing epithelial damage and hyperinflammatory response triggered by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) in a Caco-2 cells. Immunoblot analysis revealed that CBD was able to reduce all the analyzed proinflammatory markers triggered by SP incubation, such as tool-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), ACE-2, family members of Ras homologues A-GTPase (RhoA-GTPase), inflammasome complex (NLRP3), and Caspase-1. CBD caused a parallel inhibition of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), and IL-18 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay. By immunofluorescence analysis, we observed increased expression of tight-junction proteins and restoration of transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) following CBD treatment, as well as the rescue of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)–dextran permeability induced by SP. Our data indicate, in conclusion, that CBD is a powerful inhibitor of SP protein enterotoxicity in vitro.'
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ptr.7302
'“States in the highest EVALI-quintile tended to either ban all marijuana use or have [medical cannabis] laws prohibiting home cultivation,” the researchers wrote. Most states with adult-use laws, meanwhile, “fell into the lower two quintiles for EVALI prevalence,” the study says.
The findings support what legalization advocates have long argued: that access to safe, legal cannabis is far preferable from a public health standpoint than sales on the illegal market, where products are unregulated and rarely tested for safety.
“Simply put,” the study says, “if the public can obtain products legally from reputable sources, there is less demand for illicit products.”'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/lung-injuries-tied-to-contaminated-vapes-were-less-common-in-states-with-legal-marijuana-and-homegrow-study-finds/
The findings support what legalization advocates have long argued: that access to safe, legal cannabis is far preferable from a public health standpoint than sales on the illegal market, where products are unregulated and rarely tested for safety.
“Simply put,” the study says, “if the public can obtain products legally from reputable sources, there is less demand for illicit products.”'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/lung-injuries-tied-to-contaminated-vapes-were-less-common-in-states-with-legal-marijuana-and-homegrow-study-finds/
'The rapid spread of COVID-19 underscores the need for new treatments. Here we report that cannabidiol (CBD), a compound produced by the cannabis plant, inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection. CBD and its metabolite, 7-OH-CBD, but not congeneric cannabinoids, potently block SARS-CoV-2 replication in lung epithelial cells. CBD acts after cellular infection, inhibiting viral gene expression and reversing many effects of SARS-CoV-2 on host gene transcription. CBD induces interferon expression and up-regulates its antiviral signaling pathway. A cohort of human patients previously taking CBD had significantly lower SARS-CoV-2 infection incidence of up to an order of magnitude relative to matched pairs or the general population. This study highlights CBD, and its active metabolite, 7-OH-CBD, as potential preventative agents and therapeutic treatments for SARS-CoV-2 at early stages of infection. '
https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/global-literature-on-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov/resource/pt/ppbiorxiv-432967
https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/global-literature-on-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov/resource/pt/ppbiorxiv-432967
'A team of researchers affiliated with Yale University, the University of Arkansas, and the University of Nevada analyzed hospitalization trends in over six million COPD patients with and without a history of cannabis use.
Researchers reported that cannabis use among COPD patients was associated with lower in-hospital mortality, a decreased risk for pneumonia, and shorter lengths of hospitalization as compared to patients with no history of use. Cannabis consumers also had lower odds of sepsis and acute respiratory failure. “Our findings do not support the hypothesis that cannabis is associated with worse in-hospital outcomes in [patients with] COPD,” investigators determined. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/06/10/history-of-cannabis-use-associated-with-lower-in-hospital-mortality-in-copd-patients
Researchers reported that cannabis use among COPD patients was associated with lower in-hospital mortality, a decreased risk for pneumonia, and shorter lengths of hospitalization as compared to patients with no history of use. Cannabis consumers also had lower odds of sepsis and acute respiratory failure. “Our findings do not support the hypothesis that cannabis is associated with worse in-hospital outcomes in [patients with] COPD,” investigators determined. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/06/10/history-of-cannabis-use-associated-with-lower-in-hospital-mortality-in-copd-patients
'Doctors believe mucormycosis, which has an overall mortality rate of 50%, may be being triggered by the use of steroids, a life-saving treatment for severe and critically ill Covid-19 patients.
Steroids reduce inflammation in the lungs for Covid-19 and appear to help stop some of the damage that can happen when the body's immune system goes into overdrive to fight off coronavirus. But they also reduce immunity and push up blood sugar levels in both diabetics and non-diabetic Covid-19 patients.
It's thought that this drop in immunity could be triggering these cases of mucormycosis.'
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57027829
Steroids reduce inflammation in the lungs for Covid-19 and appear to help stop some of the damage that can happen when the body's immune system goes into overdrive to fight off coronavirus. But they also reduce immunity and push up blood sugar levels in both diabetics and non-diabetic Covid-19 patients.
It's thought that this drop in immunity could be triggering these cases of mucormycosis.'
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57027829
There is a new disease afflicting the insane in this country. Its called the Oxygen Shortage Disease. Since the insane are incapable of reasoning, they fail to see that this also is a result of excess and improper administering of synthetic pharmaceutical drugs to vulnerable individuals. So move over Covid, its time for the manufacturers of oxygen (no, not nature) to join the medical industry and pharma companies in milking the cattle...
Respiratory depression is the most serious adverse reaction associated with opioid use. Some opioids show toxicity with single use while others display toxicity build up over a period of time with chronic use.
The following are some opioids that cause respiratory depression - heroin, morphine, codeine, fentanyl, methadone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, buprenorphine.
Besides this, prolonged use of all opioids and NSAIDs cause multi-organ failure.
May 05, 2021 2:48:21pm
Respiratory depression is the most serious adverse reaction associated with opioid use. Some opioids show toxicity with single use while others display toxicity build up over a period of time with chronic use.
The following are some opioids that cause respiratory depression - heroin, morphine, codeine, fentanyl, methadone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, buprenorphine.
Besides this, prolonged use of all opioids and NSAIDs cause multi-organ failure.
May 05, 2021 2:48:21pm
'Collectively, these findings support the investigation of cannabinoids as a plausible option to be added as an adjunct to Remdesivir or any new antivirals on SARS-CoV2 induced lung inflammation.'
'The rapid spread of COVID-19 underscores the need for new treatments. Here we report that cannabidiol (CBD), a compound produced by the cannabis plant, inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection. CBD and its metabolite, 7-OH-CBD, but not congeneric cannabinoids, potently block SARS-CoV-2 replication in lung epithelial cells. CBD acts after cellular infection, inhibiting viral gene expression and reversing many effects of SARS-CoV-2 on host gene transcription. CBD induces interferon expression and up-regulates its antiviral signaling pathway. A cohort of human patients previously taking CBD had significantly lower SARS-CoV-2 infection incidence of up to an order of magnitude relative to matched pairs or the general population. This study highlights CBD, and its active metabolite, 7-OH-CBD, as potential preventative agents and therapeutic treatments for SARS-CoV-2 at early stages of infection.'
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.10.432967v1
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.10.432967v1
'Cannabis sativa is widely used for medical purposes and has anti-inflammatory activity. This study intended to examine the anti-inflammatory activity of cannabis on immune response markers associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inflammation. An extract fraction from C. sativa Arbel strain (FCBD) substantially reduced (dose dependently) interleukin (IL)-6 and -8 levels in an alveolar epithelial (A549) cell line. FCBD contained cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG) and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and multiple terpenes. Treatments with FCBD and a FCBD formulation using phytocannabinoid standards (FCBD:std) reduced IL-6, IL-8, C–C Motif Chemokine Ligands (CCLs) 2 and 7, and angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression in the A549 cell line. Treatment with FCBD induced macrophage (differentiated KG1 cell line) polarization and phagocytosis in vitro, and increased CD36 and type II receptor for the Fc region of IgG (Fc?RII) expression. FCBD treatment also substantially increased IL-6 and IL-8 expression in macrophages. FCBD:std, while maintaining anti-inflammatory activity in alveolar epithelial cells, led to reduced phagocytosis and pro-inflammatory IL secretion in macrophages in comparison to FCBD. The phytocannabinoid formulation may show superior activity versus the cannabis-derived fraction for reduction of lung inflammation, yet there is a need of caution proposing cannabis as treatment for COVID-19.'
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81049-2
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81049-2
'Data was drawn from more than 4,000 people with COPD in Ontario who were over the age of 66 from 2006 to 2016. The patients were divided into two groups—new users of dronabinol or nabilone and those who never used synthetic cannabinoids. While patients who began treatment with either cannabinoid were no more likely to be hospitalized for COPD or pneumonia, they were significantly more likely to die of any cause. And patients who received higher-dose cannabinoids were much more likely to be hospitalized with COPD or pneumonia (178 percent) and to die of any cause (231 percent).'
https://mjbizdaily.com/synthetic-cannabinoids-linked-to-increased-hospitalizations-and-deaths-in-older-adults-with-copd/
https://mjbizdaily.com/synthetic-cannabinoids-linked-to-increased-hospitalizations-and-deaths-in-older-adults-with-copd/
'Key results
While SEB [Staphylococcal enterotoxin-B] triggered ARDS [Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome] and 100% mortality in mice, THC protected the mice from fatality effects. Pyrosequencing analysis revealed that THC caused significant and similar alterations in microbiota in the lungs and gut of mice exposed to SEB. THC significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacterial species, Ruminococcus gnavus, but decreased pathogenic microbiota, Akkermansia muciniphila. FMT confirmed that THC-mediated reversal of microbial dysbiosis played crucial role in attenuation of SEB-mediated ARDS. THC treatment also led to increase in SCFA, of which propionic acid was found to inhibit the inflammatory response. Transcriptome array showed that THC up-regulated several genes like lysozyme-1&2, ß-defensin-2, claudin, zonula-1, occludin-1, Mucin2 and Muc5b while downregulating ß-defensin-1.
Conclusions
Current study demonstrates for the first time that THC attenuates SEB-mediated ARDS and toxicity by altering the microbiota in the lungs and the gut as well as promoting anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory pathways.'
https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bph.15226
While SEB [Staphylococcal enterotoxin-B] triggered ARDS [Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome] and 100% mortality in mice, THC protected the mice from fatality effects. Pyrosequencing analysis revealed that THC caused significant and similar alterations in microbiota in the lungs and gut of mice exposed to SEB. THC significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacterial species, Ruminococcus gnavus, but decreased pathogenic microbiota, Akkermansia muciniphila. FMT confirmed that THC-mediated reversal of microbial dysbiosis played crucial role in attenuation of SEB-mediated ARDS. THC treatment also led to increase in SCFA, of which propionic acid was found to inhibit the inflammatory response. Transcriptome array showed that THC up-regulated several genes like lysozyme-1&2, ß-defensin-2, claudin, zonula-1, occludin-1, Mucin2 and Muc5b while downregulating ß-defensin-1.
Conclusions
Current study demonstrates for the first time that THC attenuates SEB-mediated ARDS and toxicity by altering the microbiota in the lungs and the gut as well as promoting anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory pathways.'
https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bph.15226
'There was a raw ache in my lungs. People vary in the way junk sickness affects them. Some suffer mostly from vomiting and diarrhea. The asthmatic type, with narrow and deep chest, is liable to violent fits of sneezing, watering at eyes and nose, in some cases spasms of the bronchial tubes that shut off the breathing. In my case, the worst thing is lowering of blood pressure with consequent loss of body fluid, and extreme weakness, as in shock. It is a feeling as if the life energy has been shut off so that all the cells in the body are suffocating. As I lay there on the bench, I felt like as if I was subsiding into a pile of bones.' - Junky, William S Burroughs, 1977, originally published in 1953
'According to the survey, 81 percent of respondents believe that tobacco cigarettes are "very harmful." Fifty-one percent of respondents similarly view alcohol as "very harmful." By contrast, only 26 percent of those surveyed ranked marijuana as "very harmful." '
https://norml.org/news/2019/08/29/poll-americans-view-cigarettes-and-alcohol-as-more-harmful-than-cannabis
'"Unregulated illicit market cannabis products, like products in an unregulated marketplace, are of variable quality and may put some consumers at risk," Armentano said. "These incidents linked to the use of unregulated, illicit market vapor cartridges reinforce the need for greater market regulation, standardization, and oversight — principles which NORML has consistently called for in the cannabis space. Consumers must also be aware that not all products are created equal; quality control testing is critical and only exists in the legally regulated marketplace."'
https://norml.org/news/2019/08/29/hospitalizations-linked-to-use-of-unregulated-vapor-cartridges
'“These data reveal a predominant use of prefilled THC cartridges sold through informal and unregulated markets, although the origin of these products further back in the production and distribution chain is unknown,” the report states.
The report goes on to say that it’s unclear if the cause of the illness is THC or “a substance associated with prefilled THC cartridges, such as a cutting agent or adulterant.”'
https://mjbizdaily.com/cdc-reports-majority-of-patients-sickened-in-vape-epidemic-used-marijuana-vaporizer-devices-many-from-illicit-market
'Cannabis exposure does not negatively impact the lungs in a manner consistent with tobacco, nor is it similarly linked to elevated rates of either COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or lung cancer, according a literature review published in the journal Addiction.
A team of New Zealand researchers reviewed clinical trial data assessing the impact of cannabis smoke exposure on the lungs. They report that "the effects of smoking cannabis on the lungs are distinct from tobacco."
Specifically, they write: "[I]t has been pragmatic to assume that cannabis and tobacco would have similar respiratory effects. ... The research that has been done, however, offers a different story. The most common serious respiratory consequences from smoking tobacco are Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Epidemiological evidence that smoking cannabis causes either of these is scant."'
https://norml.org/news/2020/04/23/review-cannabis-smoke-exposure-is-distinct-from-tobacco-not-associated-with-copd-or-lung-cancer
'Compromised lung function from COVID-19 could also put at risk those who have opioid use disorder (OUD) or methamphetamine and other psychostimulant use disorders. Chronic respiratory disease increases risk for fatal overdose in those who use opioids therapeutically. In addition, slowed breathing due to opioids causes hypoxemia, which can lead to cardiac, pulmonary, and brain complications and, if severe, can result in overdoses and death. At least 2 million persons in the United States have OUD, and more than 10 million misuse opioids; these individuals may be at increased risk for the most adverse consequences of COVID-19. Methamphetamine is a highly toxic drug that causes pulmonary damage, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiomyopathy, and its use has markedly increased in the United States; clinicians should be alert to the possibility of increased risk for adverse COVID-19 outcomes in methamphetamine users.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7138334/
'Airway epithelial cells respond to both CB2 receptor-dependent and independent effects of cannabinoids. CB2 is expressed by varieties of immune cells including circulating lymphocytes, monocytes and tissue mast cells and in lymphoid tissues. Activation of CB2 receptor can suppress release of inflammatory IL-1, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-a. Constitutive production of endocannabinoids occurs by human lung resident macrophages, which is protective in acute and chronic inflammation, mostly via CB2 receptors. Importantly, human lung resident macrophages also express both CB1 and CB2 receptors. Agonists of CB2 have been shown to inhibit TNF-a from CD14+ monocytes and M1 macrophages, and increase expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. CB2 agonists also induce anti-inflammatory FoxP3+ regulatory T-cells (Tregs) which produce TGF-ß and IL-10. In addition, CBD has been shown to induce the differentiation of functional immunosupressive Tregs.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7239000/
The other three methods, besides phytocannabinoids, mentioned in this study are low-dose thimerosal (an organomercury compound that is commonly used as a vaccine preservative), micro-dose DNA (as a pharmaceutical agent or nutraceutical), low-dose oral IFN-alpha ( a cytokine that is a known inducer of antiviral immune responses developed as a nutraceutical or injectable). So which of the four is naturally widely available, has almost zero associated cost, has least time to market, high safety profile and minimum intervention from man to be ready for global use? Consequently, which of the four is likely to be overlooked for these very same reasons?
'Phytocannabinoids derived from Cannabis sativa, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have been shown to inhibit inflammatory and Th1 cytokines and/or promote anti-inflammatory and Th2 immune responses both in vitro and in vivo. As COVID-19 represents a respiratory disease with a dominant Th1 and inflammatory immune response profile, it has been postulated that cannabinoids represent a class of compounds with the potential to alleviate COVID-19 symptoms and severity by helping to decrease inflammation and restore a Th1/Th2 balance in the immune system. THC, for example, has been shown to shift the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance in human T cells to one favoring Th2 cytokines. Of particular interest was the inhibition of IFN-gamma production.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7227768/
'People with drug use disorders are particularly vulnerable to comorbidities that can lead to a poor outcome if they become infected with COVID-19. The same is true for anyone who uses drugs regularly. People who use opioids have a high risk of comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, whereas stimulant users are particularly susceptible to inflammation of and damage to the lung tissue. Users of both drug types may already have a compromised immune system and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. These underlying conditions can put people who use drugs regularly at a high risk of complications and mortality if they become infected with COVID-19' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_1.pdf
'According to the survey, 81 percent of respondents believe that tobacco cigarettes are "very harmful." Fifty-one percent of respondents similarly view alcohol as "very harmful." By contrast, only 26 percent of those surveyed ranked marijuana as "very harmful." '
https://norml.org/news/2019/08/29/poll-americans-view-cigarettes-and-alcohol-as-more-harmful-than-cannabis
'"Unregulated illicit market cannabis products, like products in an unregulated marketplace, are of variable quality and may put some consumers at risk," Armentano said. "These incidents linked to the use of unregulated, illicit market vapor cartridges reinforce the need for greater market regulation, standardization, and oversight — principles which NORML has consistently called for in the cannabis space. Consumers must also be aware that not all products are created equal; quality control testing is critical and only exists in the legally regulated marketplace."'
https://norml.org/news/2019/08/29/hospitalizations-linked-to-use-of-unregulated-vapor-cartridges
'“These data reveal a predominant use of prefilled THC cartridges sold through informal and unregulated markets, although the origin of these products further back in the production and distribution chain is unknown,” the report states.
The report goes on to say that it’s unclear if the cause of the illness is THC or “a substance associated with prefilled THC cartridges, such as a cutting agent or adulterant.”'
https://mjbizdaily.com/cdc-reports-majority-of-patients-sickened-in-vape-epidemic-used-marijuana-vaporizer-devices-many-from-illicit-market
'Cannabis exposure does not negatively impact the lungs in a manner consistent with tobacco, nor is it similarly linked to elevated rates of either COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or lung cancer, according a literature review published in the journal Addiction.
A team of New Zealand researchers reviewed clinical trial data assessing the impact of cannabis smoke exposure on the lungs. They report that "the effects of smoking cannabis on the lungs are distinct from tobacco."
Specifically, they write: "[I]t has been pragmatic to assume that cannabis and tobacco would have similar respiratory effects. ... The research that has been done, however, offers a different story. The most common serious respiratory consequences from smoking tobacco are Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Epidemiological evidence that smoking cannabis causes either of these is scant."'
https://norml.org/news/2020/04/23/review-cannabis-smoke-exposure-is-distinct-from-tobacco-not-associated-with-copd-or-lung-cancer
'Compromised lung function from COVID-19 could also put at risk those who have opioid use disorder (OUD) or methamphetamine and other psychostimulant use disorders. Chronic respiratory disease increases risk for fatal overdose in those who use opioids therapeutically. In addition, slowed breathing due to opioids causes hypoxemia, which can lead to cardiac, pulmonary, and brain complications and, if severe, can result in overdoses and death. At least 2 million persons in the United States have OUD, and more than 10 million misuse opioids; these individuals may be at increased risk for the most adverse consequences of COVID-19. Methamphetamine is a highly toxic drug that causes pulmonary damage, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiomyopathy, and its use has markedly increased in the United States; clinicians should be alert to the possibility of increased risk for adverse COVID-19 outcomes in methamphetamine users.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7138334/
'Airway epithelial cells respond to both CB2 receptor-dependent and independent effects of cannabinoids. CB2 is expressed by varieties of immune cells including circulating lymphocytes, monocytes and tissue mast cells and in lymphoid tissues. Activation of CB2 receptor can suppress release of inflammatory IL-1, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-a. Constitutive production of endocannabinoids occurs by human lung resident macrophages, which is protective in acute and chronic inflammation, mostly via CB2 receptors. Importantly, human lung resident macrophages also express both CB1 and CB2 receptors. Agonists of CB2 have been shown to inhibit TNF-a from CD14+ monocytes and M1 macrophages, and increase expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. CB2 agonists also induce anti-inflammatory FoxP3+ regulatory T-cells (Tregs) which produce TGF-ß and IL-10. In addition, CBD has been shown to induce the differentiation of functional immunosupressive Tregs.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7239000/
The other three methods, besides phytocannabinoids, mentioned in this study are low-dose thimerosal (an organomercury compound that is commonly used as a vaccine preservative), micro-dose DNA (as a pharmaceutical agent or nutraceutical), low-dose oral IFN-alpha ( a cytokine that is a known inducer of antiviral immune responses developed as a nutraceutical or injectable). So which of the four is naturally widely available, has almost zero associated cost, has least time to market, high safety profile and minimum intervention from man to be ready for global use? Consequently, which of the four is likely to be overlooked for these very same reasons?
'Phytocannabinoids derived from Cannabis sativa, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have been shown to inhibit inflammatory and Th1 cytokines and/or promote anti-inflammatory and Th2 immune responses both in vitro and in vivo. As COVID-19 represents a respiratory disease with a dominant Th1 and inflammatory immune response profile, it has been postulated that cannabinoids represent a class of compounds with the potential to alleviate COVID-19 symptoms and severity by helping to decrease inflammation and restore a Th1/Th2 balance in the immune system. THC, for example, has been shown to shift the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance in human T cells to one favoring Th2 cytokines. Of particular interest was the inhibition of IFN-gamma production.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7227768/
'People with drug use disorders are particularly vulnerable to comorbidities that can lead to a poor outcome if they become infected with COVID-19. The same is true for anyone who uses drugs regularly. People who use opioids have a high risk of comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, whereas stimulant users are particularly susceptible to inflammation of and damage to the lung tissue. Users of both drug types may already have a compromised immune system and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. These underlying conditions can put people who use drugs regularly at a high risk of complications and mortality if they become infected with COVID-19' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_1.pdf
'CBD treatment, regardless of dosage, decreased airway hyperresponsiveness, whereas static lung elastance only reduced with high dose. These outcomes were accompanied by decreases in collagen fibre content in both airway and alveolar septa and the expression of markers associated with inflammation in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung homogenate.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014299918306836
https://www.newscientist.com/blog/invention/2006/02/cannabis-cough-cure.html
'As for why marijuana use doesn't seem to increase cancer risk, pulmonary critical care researcher John Hansen-Flaschen of the University of Pennsylvania points out that cigarette smokers puff a lot more cigarettes than do marijuana users--a smoker with a 2-pack-a-day habit lights up 292,000 cigarettes over 20 years, for example. That's probably because marijuana isn't nearly as addictive as tobacco, says epidemiologist Steve Schwartz of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, who conducted the 2004 study.'
The newspaper headlines (DH) today says 25 lakh Indians died in 2015 due to air and water pollution as per a report in the journal Lancet. Around 2 lakh people died due to smoking tobacco and its related effects. To negate both these problems and to slow down their fatal effects, to a certain extent at least, smoking/consuming marijuana might be an alternative ( a pleasurable one definitely).
'Therefore, we must conclude that no convincing evidence exists for an association between marijuana smoking and lung cancer based on existing data.'
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/410634
Lung exercise...
'In this 20-year study of marijuana and pulmonary function, we confirmed the expected reductions in FEV1 and FVC from tobacco use. In contrast, marijuana use was associated with higher FEV1 and FVC at the low levels of exposure typical for most marijuana users.'
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1104848
'In 1955, the Tuberculosis, Nutrition Study in Czechoslovakia declared that ihemp (industrial hemp) seed was the only food that could cure tuberculosis. After 30 years of research, they discovered that a high protein diet was necessary for successfully treating TB.'
http://iihaindia.org/ihemp/ihemp-seeds-cure-tb/
'Although regular smoking of marijuana is associated with an increased risk of symptoms of chronic bronchitis and evidence of inflammation and injury involving the larger airways, lung function findings, although mixed, do not provide compelling evidence that habitual marijuana smoking in the manner and amount that it is generally smoked increases the risk of COPD, at least at the population level. Despite the presence of carcinogens in marijuana smoke in concentrations comparable with those that are found in tobacco smoke, the weight of evidence from well-designed epidemiologic studies does not support the concept that habitual marijuana use in the manner and quantity in which it is customarily smoked, when adjusted for tobacco, is a significant risk factor for the development of lung cancer.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012369218307426
https://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/cannabis-exposure-and-lung-health
'Withdrawal symptoms are allergic symptoms: sneezing, coughing, running
at the eyes and nose, vomiting, diarrhea, hive-like conditions of the
skin. Severe withdrawal symptoms are shock symptoms: lowered blood
pressure, loss of body fluid and shrinking of the organism as in the
death process, weakness, involuntary orgasms, death through collapse of
the circulatory system. If an addict dies from junk withdrawal, he dies
of allergic shock.'
- Junky, William S Burroughs, 1977, originally published in 1953
'Cannabis is the best natural expectorant to clear the human lungs of smog, dust and the phlegm associated with tobacco use. Marijuana smoke effectively dilates the airways of the lungs, the bronchi, opening them to allow more oxygen into the lungs. It is also the best natural dilator of the tiny airways of the lungs, the bronchial tubes – making cannabis the best overall bronchial dilator for 80% of the population (the remaining 20% sometimes show minor negative reactions). (See section on asthma – a disease that closes these passages in spasms – UCLA Tashkin studies, 1969-97; U.S. Costa Rican, 1980-82; Jamaican studies 1969-74,76.) Statistical evidence – showing up consistently as anomalies in matched populations -indicates that people who smoke tobacco cigarettes are usually better off and will live longer if they smoke cannabis moderately, too. (Jamaican, Costa Rican studies.) Millions of Americans have given up or avoided smoking tobacco products in favor of cannabis, which is not good news to the powerful tobacco lobby. A turn-of-the-century grandfather clause in U.S. tobacco law allows 400 to 6,000 additional chemicals to be added. Additions since then to the average tobacco cigarette are unknown, and the public in the U.S. has no right to know what they are.' - The emperor wears no clothes by Jack Herer
Tobacco vs marijuana...
'In general, our findings showed that cannabis use over 20 years was unrelated to health problems in early midlife. Across several domains of health (periodontal health, lung function, systemic inflammation, and metabolic health), clear evidence of an adverse association with cannabis use was apparent for only one domain, namely, periodontal health. Cannabis use from ages 26 to 38 years was not associated with within-individual health decline during this 12-year period with the exception of periodontal health. By comparison, tobacco use was associated with worse periodontal health, lung function, systemic inflammation, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and glucose levels in early midlife, as well as health decline from ages 26 to 38 years.'
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2526003
'We report here a patient with adenocarcinoma of the lung who, after declining chemotherapy and radiotherapy, presented with tumour response following self-administration of cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound present in cannabis sativa. Prior work has shown that cannabidiol may have anti-neoplastic properties and enhance the immune response to cancer. The data presented here indicates that cannabidiol might have led to a striking response in a patient with lung cancer.'
http://eprints.keele.ac.uk/5835/
- Junky, William S Burroughs, 1977, originally published in 1953
'Cannabis is the best natural expectorant to clear the human lungs of smog, dust and the phlegm associated with tobacco use. Marijuana smoke effectively dilates the airways of the lungs, the bronchi, opening them to allow more oxygen into the lungs. It is also the best natural dilator of the tiny airways of the lungs, the bronchial tubes – making cannabis the best overall bronchial dilator for 80% of the population (the remaining 20% sometimes show minor negative reactions). (See section on asthma – a disease that closes these passages in spasms – UCLA Tashkin studies, 1969-97; U.S. Costa Rican, 1980-82; Jamaican studies 1969-74,76.) Statistical evidence – showing up consistently as anomalies in matched populations -indicates that people who smoke tobacco cigarettes are usually better off and will live longer if they smoke cannabis moderately, too. (Jamaican, Costa Rican studies.) Millions of Americans have given up or avoided smoking tobacco products in favor of cannabis, which is not good news to the powerful tobacco lobby. A turn-of-the-century grandfather clause in U.S. tobacco law allows 400 to 6,000 additional chemicals to be added. Additions since then to the average tobacco cigarette are unknown, and the public in the U.S. has no right to know what they are.' - The emperor wears no clothes by Jack Herer
Tobacco vs marijuana...
'In general, our findings showed that cannabis use over 20 years was unrelated to health problems in early midlife. Across several domains of health (periodontal health, lung function, systemic inflammation, and metabolic health), clear evidence of an adverse association with cannabis use was apparent for only one domain, namely, periodontal health. Cannabis use from ages 26 to 38 years was not associated with within-individual health decline during this 12-year period with the exception of periodontal health. By comparison, tobacco use was associated with worse periodontal health, lung function, systemic inflammation, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and glucose levels in early midlife, as well as health decline from ages 26 to 38 years.'
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2526003
'We report here a patient with adenocarcinoma of the lung who, after declining chemotherapy and radiotherapy, presented with tumour response following self-administration of cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound present in cannabis sativa. Prior work has shown that cannabidiol may have anti-neoplastic properties and enhance the immune response to cancer. The data presented here indicates that cannabidiol might have led to a striking response in a patient with lung cancer.'
http://eprints.keele.ac.uk/5835/
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