Legal Issues And Regulation
In many countries in the world, cannabis is illegal for both therapeutic and recreational use. At the federal level, marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug, which means it cant be used for therapy and recreation. According to the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, the federal government cant enforce this prohibition in states and territories that have chosen to legalize marijuana.
For medical use, 33 states, the District of Columbia, and four territories have made cannabis legal. Indian reservations have the leeway to determine whether or not to legalize marijuana.
CBD hemp extract, on the other hand, is legal at the federal level as long as it contains 0.3% THC. This THC composition is too low to have.
If I Have Asthma Can I Use Medical Marijuana
Constricted lungs, dizziness, shortness of breath, and wheezing can signal asthma! Asthma attacks are always uncomfortable and sometimes even dangerous if youre not careful. If youre asthmatic, the last thing you need is smoke in your lungs. Even vaping can cause problems.
Which brings us to these question.
- If I have asthma, can I use medical marijuana?
- Will it help my condition?
- Will it make it worse?
Lets explore.
What Are The Traditional Remedies For Asthma
Unfortunately, asthma is a long-term condition, and at present, there is no permanent cure. When it comes to treatment, the goal is to control the condition which involves:
- Preventing chronic issues such as coughing fits.
- Reducing reliance on quick-relief medication.
- Enabling you to sleep through the night and maintaining your existing activity level.
- Preventing serious asthma attacks that require immediate medical attention.
Asthma management involves discovering your triggers and avoiding them. In terms of medication, patients may be prescribed a variety of inhaled medications.
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Use A Bowl To Smoke Shatter
You can also smoke shatter by adding to your bong bowl, which is appealing for those whove been smoking flower for a while and want to try smoking shatter without buying a whole new rig.
Start by filling up your bowl half-way with weed and then take your dab and drop it onto the weed. Then pack the rest of the bowl and light it up.
Smoking Used To Be Recommended For Asthma
Tobacco smoke was sometimes a remedy for asthma, but more than likely it was “asthma cigarettes,” which contained belladonna and stramonium.1 I think it was Francis Rackeman who once quipped that he could always tell which homes belonged to asthmatics by the sweet aroma of asthma cigarettes.
By the time I was born, the dangers of smoking were well known. In fact, thanks to the evolution of better and safer asthma medicines, smoking is no longer recommended for asthma. This is despite evidence that smoking does produce a mild bronchodilator effect. However, most health experts would agree that the risks of smoking far outweigh any benefits.
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How Safe Is Using Cannabis As A Medical Treatment
Joanna Zeiger: Inhaling cannabis is least safe for people with asthma. As noted previously, inhaling cannabis by smoking or vaping should be avoided by those with asthma.
For anyone using cannabis, particularly those with a chronic illness, safety is paramount and comes first. Determine with your doctor the safest method of using cannabis and the lowest possible dose that provides optimal relief.
Use cannabis responsibly. If you feel too high, sleep it off or wait it out. Do not overindulge. Even though cannabis can have medical value, it can also have adverse effects.
Cannabis Is An Antispasmodic
It is thought that cannabis can exert abronchodilatory effect mostly through its ability to reduce inflammation. However,it is also thought that cannabis ability to reduce muscular spasms plays a significant role in the management ofbronchoconstriction during an asthma attack. The bronchi and bronchioles arecomposed of smooth muscle, and during an attack, they contract and narrow aswell as becoming inflamed.
In a study published in 2014, researchers took bronchial lung tissue from 88 human patients and subjected it to electrical field stimulation to cause the muscle tissue to contract. They then administered THC, the endogenous cannabinoid 2-AG, and various synthetic agonists of CB-receptors type I & II. They found that certain agonists of the CB1-receptor, including THC, reduced muscle contractions in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, it was observed that the endogenous cannabinoid 2-AG had no effect.
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Why Smoking Moldy Weed Makes You Sick
There are several reasons why smoking moldy weed can trigger adverse effects on health. Mold spores can endure amazingly in rough environmental settings, including being flamed, only to stay inside the damp and warm environment within the human body. If the immune system is not that strong, this can develop lung infection.
Moldy weed may also develop sickness because of its compounds which are known as mycotoxins and endotoxins. Mycotoxins settle on the exterior of mold spores and in little portions of the mold. They are classified as toxins because they are damaging to the body, and may cause illness and irritation. This is particularly noticed if you are consistently exposed to them and in huge volumes.
Endotoxins, on the other hand, are molecules produced by bacteria as they perish. Commonly, endotoxins and molds go together, making exposure particularly disturbing. Endotoxins are known to aggravate the manifestations of asthma and a factor in lung irritation.
Breathing in several mycotoxins and endotoxins together may trigger inflammation. Chronic vulnerability to mildews and pro-inflammatory molds may worsen autoimmune conditions and heightens the possibility of forming an infection.
In the worst case, this infection may lead to pneumonia and may spread to the other parts of the human body. Symptoms of mildew exposure and acute mold may include the following:
- Dizziness
- Memory impairment or brain fog
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Similarly, after the exercise-induced bronchospasm, the placebo cannabis led to a gradual return of the airways, but took about 30-60 minutes. On the contrary, the cannabis applied an immediate reversal of the exercise-induced asthma and resulting hyperinflation.
Dr. Tashkin was among the first to make the connection between reducing asthmatic symptoms and consuming cannabis and since then other researchers have followed suit and proved this connection.
A study from the European Journal of Pharmacology, published in 2012 outlined that CBD was highly effective in decreasing inflammation in acute lung injuries. Scientists in this study applied CBD to inflammatory cells and concluded that the compound has potent immunosuppressive properties.
Another study from 2015, found in the Mediators of Inflammation journal noted that CBD, not only , but can aid in the reduction of the hypersecretion of mucus.
In case it wasnt clear, smoking weed will not induce an asthma attack. If anything, science proves it might actually help it.
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Can You Develop Asthma From Smoking Weed
It appears that smoking weed will not cause asthma to develop. But in people that already have asthma, smoking weed may cause a flare-up of symptoms.
In some people, inhaling marijuana smoke into the lungs can increase asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest, due to airway irritation. There is also a risk that inhaling the smoke will lead to bronchospasm.
Smoking Can Cause Irreversible Damage
Perhaps because it is not treatable, airway inflammation becomes severe, and this may cause scarring. Scarred tissue is thicker than normal, and this can lead to some degree of chronic airway narrowing. This means that their asthma becomes only partially reversible with time or treatment, meaning some degree of shortness of breath is always present.4,5
So, if you already have asthma, smoking cigarettes on a daily basis long-term can cause your asthma to get worse over time, and it can also cause airway changes that may cause COPD. The combination of both asthma and COPD is generally referred to as asthma/COPD overlap syndrome.4,5
It is generally understood that asthmatics have the same life expectancy as non-asthmatics. COPD, on the other hand, is only partially reversible and progresses with age. However, aggressive treatment can slow the progression so you can live longer and better with it.4,5
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Can Marijuana Help Asthma
THC can suppress the immune system. Asthma is an allergic reaction that your lungs have, the immune system overreacts to something in the environment, and that is the reason for the asthma attack. In this instance, THC can aid in calming the immune system since it is an anti-inflammatory.
But the main method of consuming marijuana is smoking it. And for those with asthma that choose to smoke despite their condition, there are likely to be more complications. So, if cannabis can help with calming the immune system, but smoking it causes complications, how can one with asthma benefit from marijuana?
Can I Smoke Weed With Asthma
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Cannabis Is Both An Expectorant And Anti
The ability of cannabis to act as an expectorant is somewhatcontroversial. It has been used as such for thousands of years, and appears in the ancient pharmacopoeia of China and India, but modern research has beensparse and has thus far yielded only ambiguous results.
Countless people throughout the world report anexpectorant effect after smoking or vaporizing cannabis. If it were noted only in smokers of cannabis, it couldeasily be dismissed as a result of the irritation caused by smoke particles. Thefact that an effect is experienced even when inhaling vapour suggests that anactive substance in cannabis is causing it.
However, most existing research actually points to thepropensity of cannabis to cause production of mucus. For example, a studypublished in 2014 observed increased mucus secretions in habitual cannabissmokers, along with damage to the tissues of the airways. Thus, further research into theexpectorant and decongestant effects of cannabis could be advantageous.
These were the top four benefits of cannabis for asthmatics as far as medical research is concerned. Next up are five dos and donts when it comes to using cannabis as asthma patient. We spoke to one asthma patient, Mark, about his experience using cannabis with his medical condition.
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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How To Check Moldy Weeds
Moldy weed commonly has a grayish-white covering. If you are not a grower or you dont categorize yourself as an aficionado, it can be very easy to mix up trichomes to mold, or the other way around.
Trichomes are the vicious and smooth crystals found on the buds and leaves that provide cannabis its scent. Different from trichomes that look similar to tiny hairs that almost look to sparkle, molds have a white or gray powdery look. Also, molds have a unique scent attached to it, hence the nose is likely to recognize it before the eyes can do. Moldy weed commonly has a mildewy or musty fragrance, or it may create a scent that resembles hay.
What Do People Need To Know About Starting Cannabis As A Medical Treatment For Asthma Or Allergies
Joanna Zeiger: I always tell people the first thing to do is figure out what it is you want to treat. For those with chronic illnesses, it would be optimal to have a discussion with a physician knowledgeable in cannabis.
Seek medical advice when starting any type of treatment. What are the symptoms you want to address? Is it nausea? Insomnia? Pain? The type of condition you are treating will help dictate which type of cannabis you need and how you consume it.
Once you start using cannabis, keep a log of any change in your symptoms to determine whether cannabis is providing effective relief or possibly adverse effects.
If a specific cannabis product doesnt work, it may not be a failure of cannabis it may not be the right product for you and your condition. Again, consulting with a physician knowledgeable about cannabis is important.
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Copd Can Develop In Many Ways
Now, it should be noted that you can develop COPD without smoking. You can develop it due to chronic exposure to chemicals at your work. It can also be caused by a rare gene called alpha 1 antitrypsin. So, you dont necessarily have to smoke to get it. However, it is also known that about 80% of people who develop COPD smoked at some point in their lifetimes.4,5
And its also true that not everyone who smokes develops COPD. Most studies show that about 20-30% of smokers will eventually be diagnosed with it, although I have seen studies showing its as high as 50%. Studies show that children with persistent asthma have a 32% greater risk of developing COPD, and adults with asthma have a 12% greater risk of developing it.4,5
So, with an increased risk already, smoking with asthma can only elevate the risk.
Researchers are not sure why asthmatics have an elevated risk for developing COPD, although some studies seem to suggest that asthma genes may have something to do with it. Smoking may turn some of these asthma genes into COPD genes.2,3
Risks Of Smoking Weed With Asthma
Using marijuana in certain forms may have some benefits for people with asthma. But choosing to use weed for asthma by smoking it has possible negative consequences. According to the American Thoracic Society, there is no safe or best way to smoke marijuana.
When you smoke weed, various toxins, such as tar, are released as it burns. The combustion caused by marijuana smoke contains some of the same irritants and toxins as tobacco smoke, which may irritate the airways. Also, other chemicals in weed that are not as widely researched may have effects on the lungs that are not known.
Plus, marijuana is usually smoked a little different than a tobacco cigarette. Its common for people that smoke weed to inhale deeper than you would inhale tobacco and hold the smoke in the lungs a bit longer. The deeper inhalation and longer hold expose a person to greater amounts of tar and other potential toxins, which may irritate the lungs.
Its difficult to predict how someone with asthma will respond to smoking weed. People with asthma already have sensitive airways. Past response to smoking marijuana does not necessarily mean a person will react the same way each time they smoke weed.
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Medical Marijuana For Asthma
Medical marijuana prescriptions for the treatment of asthma are not available at this time, though this could change as more research on cannabis and asthma is done. In California, Oklahoma and West Virginia, physicians do have the authority to write prescriptions for any medical condition they deem appropriate, and there are a growing number of states where marijuana may be purchased and used for recreational purposes.
Medical marijuana prescriptions for the treatment of asthma are not available at this time.
Potential Risks Of Marijuana For Asthma
Despite any possible benefits, marijuana also poses enormous risks if you have asthma. This is particularly the case if you smoke it. Smoking any substance can increase inflammation in your lungs. This makes asthma symptoms worse.
Smoking marijuana may even increase your risk for an asthma attack. In severe cases, you may need to be hospitalized for an asthma attack. This helps to prevent life-threatening complications.
When you smoke marijuana, large air sacs called bullae may start to develop in your lungs. These can eventually disrupt your breathing. According to the American Thoracic Society, youre at an increased risk of developing bullae from smoking marijuana if youre under the age of 45.
Over time, can grow and cause shortness of breath. Whats even more dangerous is the development of . This is a life-threatening condition that occurs when bullae rupture in the lungs.
In the short term, smoking marijuana can cause:
- frequent coughing
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What Are The Asthma
Marijuana smoke is generally unfiltered. Smokers inhale marijuana more deeply than tobacco smoke. As a result, more tar ends up in the lungs.1 Marijuana smoke damages the lining of the airway and increases airway inflammation, which can trigger asthma symptoms.8
Compared with nonsmokers, marijuana smokers are more likely to have , cough on most days, phlegm, wheezing, and chest sounds.1 Their breathing symptoms are very similar to tobacco smokers.