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Can You Get Medical Marijuana For Asthma

What Conditions Qualify For A Medical Cannabis Prescription

Does Cannabis Help with Asthma?

The NHS states: As with prescribing any other unlicensed medicine, it is a clinical decision to determine the most appropriate medication or course of treatment to prescribe for a patient, having taken into account the patient, the clinical condition, the clinical evidence of efficacy and safety and the suitability of licensed medicines.

In effect, this means that if the prescribing specialist doctor believes there is sufficient proof of efficacy for cannabis as a treatment for a particular condition, they may prescribe medical marijuana.

However, most NHS doctors follow NICE guidelines when prescribing medication, particularly with something as unknown to them as cannabis-based medicine. NICE will only recommend treatments that are evidence-based and have been proven cost-effective.

Unfortunately, the recently released draft NICE guidance for prescribing cannabis-based medicines is even more restrictive than the initial NHS position. Citing a lack of sufficient evidence, they only recommend the prescription of Nabilone, a synthetic THC drug, for chemo-related nausea and vomiting, and explicitly say no cannabis product should be prescribed for chronic pain unless part of a clinical trial.

Currently, NHS doctors have only been recommended to prescribe Nabilone in cases of intractable chemotherapy-induced vomiting and nausea.

  • Chronic pain
  • Nausea and vomiting through chemotherapy
  • Cancer pain
  • Sleep disorder

How To Tell If Smoke Is Affecting You

High concentrations of smoke can trigger a range of symptoms.

  • Anyone may experience burning eyes, a runny nose, cough, phlegm, wheezing and difficulty breathing.i
  • If you have heart or lung disease, smoke may make your symptoms worse
  • People with heart disease might experience chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, or fatigue.
  • People with lung disease may not be able to breathe as deeply or as vigorously as usual, and may experience symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, chest discomfort, wheezing and shortness of breath.

Problems With Conventional Treatment

Puffers

Asthma sufferers are often prescribed inhalers or puffers to treat their condition. These inhalers typically contain steroids.

Steroids act to reduce inflammation in the lungs as well as mucous production. Both of these actions reduce the likelihood of an asthma attack when exposed to triggers.

While these inhalers help many patients living with asthma, they arenât a perfect solution.

To start, they are slow to take effect, sometimes requiring several hours. Several hours is too long to wait during an asthma attack. This is why the inhalers must be used regularly as a preventative measure.

Inhaled steroids also carry side effects, such as voice hoarseness and thrush .

Other Medications

Systemic Steroidsâ Some patients also take steroids by mouth, known as systemic steroids. These can have even more severe side effects. Because they pass through the digestive system, they affect the whole body, not just the lungs.

Side effects include slowed growth, bone loss, upset stomach, weight gain, and mood changes.

Leukotriene Modifiersâ Asthma patients may also take a medication to target the compounds causing inflammation. These compounds, called leukotrienes, increase mucus production in lungs and tighten muscles surrounding the airways. âLeukotriene modifying medicationsâ reduce symptoms by targeting these compounds.

Leukotriene modifying medications also carry side effects. These include insomnia, headache, irritability, nausea and vomiting.

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Can You Be Allergic To Cannabis

Yes, people can be allergic to marijuana. People can develop an allergy to cannabis even if they are not cannabis users. About 2.5% of participants in the PEACE survey who were NOT current cannabis users reported a cannabis allergy. As more states legalize cannabis, doctors should expect to see more people experience allergic reactions to cannabis. This can occur due to occupational exposures. These reactions may be specific to a strain of cannabis.

Its likely cannabis allergies have been around for years. Cannabis allergy may have gone unreported due to its illegal status. In addition, there is no current way to test for cannabis allergy.

Cannabis pollen grains typically emerge in late summer or early autumn and they can become airborne. This can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Is There A Safe Way To Use Cannabis If You Have Asthma Are There Benefits

How Does Medical Cannabis Affect Asthma?

There may be potential cannabis benefits for asthma when taking it in other ways than smoking or vaping. Alternative ways to use cannabis include:

  • cannabis edibles
  • cannabis tincture/oil
  • cannabis topical products.

These routes of administration may be safer since they do not impact the lungs the same way inhaled routes do.

In addition, smoking cannabis or being exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke could cause an allergic reaction.

For some people with asthma, cannabis acts as an immediate bronchodilator. A bronchodilator relaxes the airways which can help breathing. But that doesnt make cannabis a long-term solution for asthma control, Zeiger says. Patients need to speak with their doctors about their cannabis use. They should work together with their doctor to decide on the route of administration that is safest for them.

In the PEACE survey, participants also cited their purpose for using cannabis. These included:

  • medical reasons
  • recreational use
  • both medical and recreational use .

Survey participants reported improved sleep, less pain and decreased anxiety after using cannabis. But survey participants also reported increased symptoms after using cannabis:

  • coughing
  • wheeze
  • shortness of breath .

It appears that many asthma and allergy patients are using cannabis for a variety of reasons that may have nothing to do with their asthma, Zeiger says.

Read Also: What Triggers And Asthma Attack

Should You Get A Maryland Medical Marijuana Card For A Minor

If youre considering medical marijuana on behalf of a minor child with insomnia, the first step is to consider whether the insomnia is due to a legitimate medical condition. Teenagers often go through sleepless phases due to stress or inconsistent sleep habits. A physician can help you to determine if the insomnia is clinical in nature and if medical marijuana may be an advisable course of treatment.

Note that, in Maryland, all minor patients must have at least one caregiver, and only parents and legal guardians are permitted to function in this capacity. Other family members and friends are not eligible.

Other Treatments For Asthma

Numerous conventional treatment options are available for people with asthma. Aside from quick-relief medications, such as inhalers, your doctor may recommend drugs that provide more long-term control. These help stop asthma symptoms before they become problematic by decreasing inflammation. Examples include:

  • nebulizers
  • inhaled corticosteroids
  • leukotriene tablets

If youre looking for more natural forms of asthma treatment, talk to your doctor about the following options:

  • breathing exercises

Recommended Reading: How To Beat Asthma Without An Inhaler

Best Methods Of Marijuana Treatment To Use To Treat Asthma

Cannabis for asthma has the potential to ease many symptoms patients experience, regardless of which method they use. However, this doesnt mean all the methods of consumption are equal in efficiency. Furthermore, it doesnt mean theyre all entirely harmless either. Important things to consider when deciding on your method of marijuana treatment use for your asthma are:

  • Potential for immediate relief
  • Optimal safety
  • Controllable efficiency and dosage

While smoking medical weed is still an option, it does depend on how severe your asthma is, since smoking could trigger an asthma attack or escalate one. Because of this, you may want to consider other methods of use.

For instance, you can consume edibles, also called medibles, for long-term asthma treatment since they have certain variables, like the time they take to produce effects. They may not be appropriate for providing instant relief during an attack. A good option for emergency treatments could be vaporizing. Vaporizing releases cannabinoids in your body quickly while reducing any risk to your lungs.

To the healthy human body, smoking medical marijuana isnt harmful. But when suffering from asthma, you have to watch out for anything that can compromise your respiratory system.

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The central question is, however, still unanswered by the major authorities in medical fields. Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization, and many other top institutions have still not given the definitive answer to the question. So, can weed help asthma? We just cant be sure at this point.

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Who Can Supply Cannabis

Any CBPM supplied to patients in the UK must be approved and licensed by the Medical Healthcare Agency and Home Office, meeting strict criteria such as Good Manufacturing Practice .

The reality is that, as CBPMs are unlicensed, not all pharmacies will be able to supply the medicine, so you may need to approach various before finding success. According to the Centre of Medical Cannabis, ordering the medicine will take between two days to two weeks.

Again, like doctors, pharmacists are largely unfamiliar with CBPMs, so patience will be required.

If you are a patient in the UK hoping to get a prescription for medical marijuana, it would be easy to feel disheartened about the slow progress being made. Thankfully, groups such as the United Patients Alliance, End our Pain, and the Centre for Medical Cannabis are lobbying for a more open and sensible approach to prescribing CBPMs.

With the reclassification of cannabis and its derivatives to Schedule 2, we can expect more clinical trials proving medical cannabis as an effective treatment for a host of health conditions. All of which should mean that in the near future, getting a prescription for medical cannabis both through the NHS and in private clinics will be easier.

Will There Be Any Risks Involved

While the use of cannabis certainly seems to be an effective choice to treat asthma symptoms, it is still important to pay attention to all the risks involved in using this option. For instance, many studies show that when you take inhaler-delivered THC in excess, you may end up dealing with bronchoconstriction. In a study, only 3 out of 5 asthma patients experienced bronchodilation after receiving 5-20mg of THC. It implies that even if you are using weed to treat your asthma, you need to be very careful about how much you take.

Many studies have already confirmed that you do not increase your risk of developing lung cancer after smoking marijuana, but there is evidence that excessive smoking may well be associated with an increased risk of developing bronchitis, which involves the mucous membranes of the airway becoming inflamed. Your asthma symptoms may become worse and you notice serious complications if you develop bronchitis.

Nevertheless, there are other ways to use cannabis without having to worry too much about the risks. Instead of inhaling, you can ingest marijuana through alternative methods, such as edible preparations or vaporizers. Keep in mind that you do not always need to smoke weed to enjoy its therapeutic benefits.

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Can Smoking Harm My Unborn Child

Smoking harms both the mother and her unborn child. Along with harming the mothers lungs directly, nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco products, and other substances are carried through the bloodstream of the mother and goes directly to the baby.

Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to have respiratory problems and are ten times more likely to develop asthma. Smoking during pregnancy has also been linked with low-weight newborns, premature births and sudden infant death syndrome.

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How Marijuana Smoke Affects Asthma

Can Cannabis Help Asthma Patients?

If you have asthma and smoke weed, you may experience higher incidences of coughing, excessive build-up of phlegm, wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in your chest, and you may be more susceptible to lung infections. The possibility does exist that irritation from smoking marijuana could prompt a life-threatening asthma attack. This risk is due to the irritation caused by smoke inhalation, not specifically because the smoke comes from cannabis.

Q: What happens if you smoke weed and have asthma?A:It is possible that asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath will worsen if you smoke weed. However, smoking cannabis gives many people near-instant relief from bronchoconstriction, which can stop an asthma attack in its tracks.

Smoke combustion releases toxins and is bad for the lungs whether it comes from weed, cigarettes, or campfires.

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Cannabinoids May Have Anti

The bronchial tubes of patients can also become inflamed during a period when they are not suffering from attacks . If an acute asthma attack occurs, the inflammation can get worse, so anti-inflammatory drugs can be prescribed. This is where cannabinoids derived from cannabis, especially the cannabinoid cannabidiol , could deploy an anti-inflammatory effect.

In 2015, Brazilian researchers declared that T-helper-2 lymphocytes could be detected in the lungs of asthma patients . These T-helper cells are responsible for the recognition of antigens and are involved in the production of cytokines. Given that the interaction of T-helper cells with antigens/allergens could play a key role in the development of inflammatory diseases, the aim of the study was to assess the anti-inflammatory potential of CBD.

Asthma was then induced in rats by ovalbumin . The animals then received 5 milligrams of CBD per kilogram of body weight. 24 hours later, the cytokines in serum levels were determined and it was found that CBD could be a potential new drug to modulate the inflammatory response in asthma.

Final Thoughts On The Discussion Of Marijuana Treatment For Asthma

Some have argued in the past that marijuana is an effective treatment for asthma because it has anti-inflammatory properties and could help open the bronchial tubes. While there is evidence out there to support both of these notions, much more research is required in order to make the claim that marijuana can treat asthma or improve an asthmatic condition.

Much more research is required in order to make the claim that marijuana can treat asthma or improve an asthmatic condition.

And of course, we certainly dont recommend smoking in any form if you have asthma. And while vaporizing cannabis may result in less coughing, there is still virtually no data on its long-term respiratory health effects.

All things considered, edibles and oils are arguably the best way to consume cannabis if you have asthma. They make take a little longer to work, but theyre almost certainly not as harmful to the lungs as smoke inhalation.

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When Did It Appear Who Invented It

The Canadian company Resolve Digital Health developed the first smart inhaler for medical cannabis, intended for the patients suffering from:

  • Cancer.
  • Chronic pin.
  • Other severe diseases.

Unlike other products on the market, marijuana is a therapeutic solution that provides accurate dosing through the use of disposable Smartpod capsules containing high-quality cannabis in the form of flowers or oil. These capsules are inserted into a special evaporator for use.

The inhaler automatically recognizes Smartpod and visualizes information about it on the color screen built into the inhaler. The package also includes a docking station used for recharging.

The device contains capsules of different types designed to treat certain symptoms, and the lid of such containers provides information about:

· Origin.

· Testing.

· Expiration date of the content.

All the feelings and actions of patients are tracked through the mobile application, where the information is also stored and can be used by the doctors or other health professionals. The app controls:

· Use.

· Time of treatment.

· Effectiveness, including each course of treatment.

In recent years, the importance of medical cannabis inhaler use is starting to be recognized in more and more countries, although there are still numerous barriers to the spread of cannabis as a reliable and official supplement or substitute for medical treatment.

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Cannabis Strains for Asthma

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You might be surprised to hear that cannabis can treat asthma, but science tells us otherwise. History too historians discovered that Egyptians used cannabis to treat many conditions including asthma as far back as 1213BC! Even famous writer Marcel Proust wrote about his use of cannabis for the treatment of asthma.

Asthma has taken the lives of over 3,000 people in 2010. The shortness of breath, coughing, and chest tightness experienced by those who live with asthma can reduce the quality of ones life. But while many patients prefer not to use cannabis because they are afraid that it may make symptoms worse, the good news is that its actually been proven to help.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease, and cannabis is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Other ways that cannabis helps reduce the symptoms of asthma include:

  • Cannabis reduces bronchospasms, which is when muscles in the lungs suddenly constrict causing difficulty breathing.
  • Cannabis provides relief from asthma-related pain. More than 75% of asthma patients experience chest pain during an asthma attack, and in some cases it can be so severe and debilitating. The pain is caused by the inability to breathe properly because airflow is interrupted.

What are your favorite strains to help alleviate asthma?

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Potential Side Effects Of Cannabis Use

While some asthma sufferers report big improvements using marijuana for their asthma, it is not without the risk of side effects. In general, the side effects of marijuana can include temporary shifts in cognitive function, coordination and memory, dry eyes and mouth, increased heart-rate, and anxiety or paranoia. For most, these are rare, mild, or manageable, but for some they pose limits to functionality that make cannabis a less effective treatment.

Perhaps the most important side effect for asthma sufferers to consider is the allergies that cannabis can cause itself. In mild cases, cannabis allergies can cause increased congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, post-nasal drip, and itchy eyes or nose. These could be distressing to asthma sufferers and potentially harmful for those who suffer from asthma which is triggered by allergies. In more serious cases, people report skin rashes from contact with cannabis resin, worsening asthma symptoms, or even anaphylactic shock. If you have an allergy to cannabis, it may not be a helpful treatment for your asthma.

Since asthma can be a life-threatening condition, it is best to work with an MD who has experience treating asthma with marijuana, and can help assist with any negative side effects that might arise.

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