With the recent appearance of the coronavirus, the last few years have been extremely difficult. Coronavirus causes some pretty serious flu-like symptoms that are fatal in many cases. It is, indeed, a very serious illness that has affected millions of people around the world.
However, this doesn't mean that the world has come to a standstill, and many of us are still trying to live normal lives. For many of us, this means consuming cannabis like we usually would. Some people use cannabis as an alternative to treat a variety of medical issues or to relieve symptoms. Many people also just use cannabis recreationally to relax and have a bit of fun.
That said, what happens when you get COVID? Can you take edibles with COVID? It's a question many people ask, and today we provide answers. This blog post offers information about taking edibles with COVID.
*Note: COVID has only been around for a few years, so research is extremely limited. Taking cannabis edibles with COVID is such a new phenomenon that barely any research exists. Therefore, a lot of the information on the relationship between cannabis and COVID is based on limited evidence, educated hypotheses, and anecdotal evidence from first-hand users.
Cannabis and Covid: What We Know So Far
Frankly speaking, what we know so far about cannabis and COVID is extremely limited. But here are some key highlights on this topic.
- Because cannabis is often shared in group settings, it is likely to put cannabis users at a higher risk of getting infected with the coronavirus. Sharing joints and smoking utensils may lead to higher infection rates among cannabis users.
- It is probable that cannabis, particularly CBD, may reduce cytokines in the body. This means that CBD may have the ability to reduce inflammation related to the coronavirus.
- CBD and THC are thought to have pain-killing effects, with CBD also having potential anti-inflammatory effects. Not only is CBD potentially able to relieve some of the inflammation associated with COVID, but together with THC, it may also relieve pain and discomfort associated with COVID.
- It may be the case that previous damage caused to the lungs due to smoking cannabis may be disadvantageous for users when they contract the coronavirus. The virus causes inflammation in the lungs and often causes difficulty breathing. If a person's lungs are already damaged from smoking, it's possible the respiratory issues would only be compounded by the coronavirus.
- If coronavirus and smoking cannabis irritate and damage the lungs, it stands to reason that together they would cause severe respiratory issues. However, seeing as cannabis edibles do not affect the lungs, the results may be different.
- People with lung inflammation and respiratory distress due to the coronavirus may see their symptoms worsen due to smoking or vaporizing cannabis, as both vaporizing and smoking cannabis may irritate the lungs. CBD oil, however, may also have the potential to reduce throat soreness.
- Cannabis may also have fever-reducing properties. Fever is a common symptom associated with the coronavirus, so there may be some potential benefits here.
Are There Potential Benefits to Taking Edibles with COVID?
There may very well be some potential benefits to taking edibles with COVID. However, once again, there is no solid scientific evidence to back up any assumptions that have been made so far. More research is required on this front, so we are not making any medical claims whatsoever. If you do have the coronavirus, your best bet is to seek medical attention right away.
That said, there is some speculation in terms of some potential benefits that you could reap from taking edibles when you have COVID. One potential benefit is that CBD and THC have pain-relieving properties. Coronavirus can be quite painful, so having cannabis for some pain relief would be a plus.
Similarly, CBD is an anti-inflammatory agent. Seeing as a big part of COVID is characterized by lung inflammation, CBD might be able to relieve some lung inflammation. This may help make breathing a little bit easier and less painful.
Further, CBD may reduce cytokines in the body. During an extreme infection, a cytokine storm may occur, which increases inflammation and fever and can be potentially fatal. But, if CBD may reduce inflammation caused by cytokine storms, it may also help reduce potentially fatal fevers and other complications from COVID.
It is also thought that cannabis may have fever-reducing properties, which is important as high fevers are among the symptoms of the coronavirus. Many people may have trouble sleeping due to the severity of their symptoms, in which case THC and CBD may help.
One of the potential benefits is that CBD may help stop the infection from getting very severe. A study performed showed promise in terms of preventing the COVID virus from taking hold and replicating in the lungs.
All in all, CBD is not a replacement for vaccination, but early studies indicate it may be able to help reduce overall infection rates or make infections less severe.
What are the Effects of Taking Edibles with COVID?
The effects of taking edibles with COVID are largely unknown and unconfirmed. Most of what we know is based on assumptions or anecdotal evidence. Remember, the coronavirus has only been around for a few years.
However, cannabis may have some potential benefits, including helping minimize inflammation, improve breathing, ease fevers and pain, reduce anxious thoughts, and make it easier to sleep. Here we are referring mainly to CBD edibles, not THC edibles.
Is it Safe to be Taking Edibles While Having COVID?
Whether it is safe to take edibles when having COVID is unclear. At this time, there is no evidence that taking cannabis edibles when you have COVID poses a serious risk. On the flip side, there's also no research confirming the opposite.
Seeing as the coronavirus affects your lungs, it would be safe to assume that taking edibles would, at least, be safer than smoking or vaping. However, there just isn't enough research on either front to come to a solid conclusion. If you do have the coronavirus, your best bet is to seek medical attention first.
What are the Risks of Taking Edibles While Having COVID?
Just as the potential benefits of taking cannabis edibles with COVID are mostly unconfirmed, the same is the case for the risks. Most of what we know is based mostly on informed guesswork. Be that as it may, taking edibles with COVID may have some risks, such as:
- Cannabis may be an immunosuppressant, meaning it hinders your immune system from functioning properly. This is counterintuitive since you need a well-functioning immune system to fight off infections. Therefore, if your immune system is suppressed or compromised, your body will have a reduced ability to fight off the coronavirus infection. Being immunosuppressive is why CBD may reduce fever. However, this has not been confirmed.
- In some cases, cannabis edibles may have mild side effects, such as dizziness, headaches, and gastrointestinal upset. Coronavirus may also cause dizziness, headaches, and other related symptoms. Therefore, there is the potential for the negative side effects of edibles to compound the symptoms of coronavirus.
- THC might make anxiety worse in some cases. If you are already feeling anxious about having COVID, this would, of course, not be beneficial for your mental state.
Which Edibles are Best, CBD or THC?
We really can't say which edibles are best when you have the coronavirus, whether CBD or THC. Based on the potential benefits of CBD, it is probable that it would be a better option.
Also, CBD is potentially anti-inflammatory, which might be beneficial for coronavirus symptoms. However, because it may be immunosuppressive, CBD could have negative impacts.
As for THC, the effects are largely unknown relative to coronavirus. Yes, THC will still get you high, but this might make your anxiety (about having COVID) worse. That said, THC might also help to relieve pain. To experience these potential pain relief benefits, check out our Delta-9 Blue Raspberry Microdose Gummies.
Therefore, whether taking cannabis while having coronavirus is a good idea is questionable at best. Equally, whether CBD or THC would be better is up in the air too.
Final Thoughts: Can I Take Edibles with COVID?
So, can you take edibles with COVID? Seeing as the evidence is so limited, we aren’t going to make a recommendation one way or another. There are both potential benefits and risks to consider, so the best thing is to consult a trained medical professional.
However, you can still check out our Botany Farms Nano Delta-9 THC Pink Lemonade Microdose Gummies. In case you don’t like lemonade, we have a Mixed Variety Pack of Microdose Gummies.
