By Years after the height of the pandemic, new research provides evidence of the benefits of cannabis for COVID-19 patients. Researchers concluded that cannabis consumers affected by COVID-19 had “favorable outcomes and mortality” compared to non-consumers. The study, titled “Exploring the relationship between marijuana smoking and COVID-19,” was presented at the American College of Chest Physicians meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, on October 11. It was also published in the October issue.of chest journal.
The researchers noted that they analyzed data from the National Inpatient Sample, the largest collection of publicly available inpatient medical data. 7 million hospital visits per year. Researchers surveyed 322,214 patients over the age of 18, but only 2,603 said they were cannabis consumers.
Each cannabis consuming patient was matched one-to-one with a non-consumer, as well as “age, race, gender, and 17 other comorbidities, including chronic lung disease.” Other comorbidities included obstructive sleep apnea, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, which were more common among nonusers.
In these comparisons, cannabis users had reduced rates of certain symptoms. “Univariate analysis showed that marijuana users had higher rates of intubation (6.8% vs. 12%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (2.1% vs. 6%), acute respiratory failure (25% vs. 52.9%), and severe “There was a significantly lower incidence of sepsis and multiple organ failure (5.8% vs. 12%),” the researchers explained. “They also had lower rates of in-hospital cardiac arrest (1.2% vs. 2.7%) and mortality (2.9% vs. 13.5%).”
The researchers concluded that “marijuana smokers had better outcomes and mortality than non-users.” “The beneficial effects of marijuana use may be due to its ability to inhibit viral entry into cells, prevent the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and potentially reduce cytokine release syndrome.”
Due to these findings, the researchers added a note regarding these results and potential clinical implications. “The significant reduction in mortality and morbidity warrants further investigation into the association between marijuana use and COVID-19 infection,” the researchers added. “Our study highlights themes for future research for large-scale trials, especially considering the prevalence of marijuana.”
After the pandemic began, it quickly became clear that researchers were not free to study cannabis as a way to help people suffering from COVID-19 because of its Schedule I status. In July 2020, Dr. Laszlo Mechtler, medical director of the Dent Neurological Institute in Buffalo, New York, explained the need to reclassify cannabis. “It is my opinion that much of this lack of understanding stems from the lack of research being done on cannabis, which stems from the federal government’s classification of marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance.” said Mechtler.
That same month, researchers at the University of Nebraska and Texas Biomedical Research Institute began a study to analyze how CBD could help treat the often fatal lung inflammation associated with COVID-19.
In July 2022, high times We interviewed Professor Richard Van Breeman of the Oregon State College of Pharmacy and the Linus Pauling Institute Global Hemp Innovation Center. Breeman shared research first published in January 2022 on cannabis and its effects on SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19. “Our team discovered that cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) can bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. 2 can also be used to block cell entry,” Breemen said. “This means that cell entry inhibitors, such as hemp-derived acids, can be used to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, potentially shortening infection by preventing viral particles from infecting human cells. It means that there is.”
Another study published in August 2022 found that cannabis consumers experienced reduced symptoms of COVID-19 and improved clinical outcomes. “Consistent with known trends, active users of cannabis were overall younger than non-users,” the researchers wrote. “However, even after adjusting for age, these results remained consistent. Furthermore, after adjusting for comorbidities, demographics, and smoking history, cannabis users still had a higher incidence of severe disease than non-users. I found that there was less progress.”
In this particular study, researchers looked at the cases of 1,831 COVID-19 patients who required hospitalization. “Although there was a trend toward improved survival among cannabis users, this was not statistically significant,” the researchers explained. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine clinical outcomes in cannabis users hospitalized with COVID-19.Further studies, including prospective analyses, will explore the relationship between cannabis and the impact of COVID-19. It will help you understand the relationship better.”
In September 2022, cannabis was used by many people to treat long-term coronavirus symptoms, but there is little research to support its effectiveness. “It helps me stay focused, or at least helps me forget the negative thoughts brought on by long-term COVID-19,” said David, a long-term COVID-19 patient. Told. high times. It helps with nausea, for me, but even more so for my partner. My partner literally wouldn’t be able to hold down his first meal of the day for a while without ingesting food to settle his stomach. And sleep, oh, it’s really fun to be able to sleep again after being a heavy cannabis user. ”
