SCIENTISTS SAY CANNABIS COULD HELP TREAT COVID-19 AND THOSE WITH ‘LONG-COVID’
ELLICOTT CITY, Md- Scientists are seeing a direct correlation when it comes to cannabis helping patients with COVID-19 and what’s been called “long-covid” or people who experience symptoms for months.
According to a report in Leafly, frequent cannabis users who inhale the product, were able to suppress what’s called “cytokine storms”. This occurs in patients with COVID and can lead to severe respiratory distress and organ failure.
Although many patients recover from COVID just fine, not everyone does. Some of the “Long COVID” or “long haulers” have symptoms that include heart issues, fatigue, PTSD, and decrease appetite. But the article also points out that there were mixed results in several other separate studies that suggested cannabis use increased infection rates or caused more people do die from the respiratory disease.
Scientists say in this latest study by MDPI, a particular enzyme receptor called ACE2 binds to SARS-CoV-2, but certain cannabinoids found in cannabis, help block or reduce the virus’ ability to infect people.
Authors of the study do caution that these studies are in their early stages and that more research needs to be done
Read more on how cannabis may be able to reduce your chances of infection by limiting some of these factors.