Therapeutic Cannabis and Asthma: Do Marijuana and Cannabioids Help with Cough Attacks?

However, in the case of medical cannabis , the whole thing is a little more tangled and it seems to be for asthmatics in a good way.  

Cannabis and asthma in a historical relationship  

In articles dealing with the history of cannabis treatment, you could read, for example, about how this plant was used by the inhabitants of ancient Egypt in the period of about 1200 BC in the treatment of asthma.  

" The French writer Marcel also wrote about the application of cannabis against asthma   Proust , who used this herb to treat his own symptoms and called his joints 'anti-asthmatic cigarettes'. "  

In addition, shortly before possession of medical cannabis was placed beyond the law, a cough medicine was used as a doctor's prescription. This was specifically the case during the 1920s, when doctors recommended cannabis tinctures to patients who were bothered by morphine side effects such as constipation or depression.  

However, shortly afterwards, cannabis and with cannabis were banned. At the same time, however, the popularity of tobacco erupted, elevating tobacco companies to peak financial returns. However, along with the growing popularity of cigarette smoking, the link between smoking and the incidence of cancer has also been confirmed. Since then, smoking of any kind has been automatically associated with harmful effects on the lungs.  

However, recent studies have begun to refocus on cannabis smoking and asthma treatment, and it is already clear that the whole thing cannot be explained by the mere slogan "smoking cannabis harms the lungs".  

Asthma: what disease is it and how does it manifest itself?  

Asthma is a long-term chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs and respiratory tract. A person's genes often play a big role in the development of asthma. However, there are a number of other factors capable of irritating the bronchi and subsequently triggering an asthma attack.  

The most common causes of asthma attacks are:  

"There is still no definitive cure for asthma. However, there are a few adjuvants that can help asthmatics control symptoms. ”  

Asthmatics usually carry an inhaler, either of the preventive or mitigating type. Preventive inhalers are used to calm the airways overall; mitigating inhalers for intervention in the event of an acute asthma attack.  

Asthma problems usually do not occur if patients follow the prescribed medication carefully and do not unnecessarily expose their airways to irritants. However, this does not mean that asthma is not an exhausting and very frustrating condition. In addition, conventional drugs often contain steroids and immunomodulatory drugs   substances that often carry various side effects.  

"Here we come to possible alternative treatments for asthma. So how effective is medical cannabis compared to commonly available pharmaceuticals? ”  

Research and study of cannabis in the treatment of asthma  

The first serious observation of the positive effects of cannabis on asthma took place during a small study in 1975. The study was conducted by Dr. Donald Tashkin , who decided to artificially mimic bronchial convulsions in eight "clinically stable" asthma patients. The goal was to observe and understand the behavior of their airways under pressure.  

Asthma attacks have been triggered in patients in two different ways: by exercising on an electric bicycle and by inhaling a substance called methacholine . Patients were subsequently given placebo or medical cannabis containing approximately 2% THC.  

As a result of a study of marijuana smoking against induced asthma attacks, placebo-treated subjects experienced relief for 30 to 60 seconds, while those treated with real 2% THC marijuana received relief immediately. At the time, of course, this was a completely revolutionary finding, especially given the stigma surrounding cannabis smoking.  

In 1985, a 20-year observation of mild cannabis smokers who also suffered from asthma began. The study concluded that cannabis users showed a significant improvement in fitness compared to cigarette smokers. ”  

Another important study on the relationship between cannabis and the treatment of asthma was a 2014 study in which researchers tested the effects of THC on a total of 88 patients who had bronchial tissue samples taken. The researchers triggered asthmatic convulsions in the extracted tissues using electrical stimulations and subsequently tried to calm them down by the action of THC and other synthetic cannabinoids .  

“During the observation, it was found that the cannabinoid THC in particular and its action on CB1 receptors is able to calm asthmatic cramps and stretch the respiratory organs. Simply put, psychoactive THC is beneficial for the necessary dilation of the bronchi and access of air to the lungs. ”  

Is THC more beneficial to lung health than CBD?  

After decades of research, it seems that the more famous molecule of THC in health effects before the more famous CBD is currently leading. CBD is well known for its anti-inflammatory effects and, thanks to its legal availability in most parts of the world, has become quite a popular cannabis substance.  

In recent years, however, much of the world has begun to focus on CBD instead of THC, whose "advantage" is that it does not act in the same narcotic way as THC and can be considered relatively non-psychoactive.  

However, a 2015 study again reminded science that it should not rest on its laurels regarding THC. Despite the fact that it was only a study performed on animal subjects, its results certainly cannot be taken lightly and provide a strong basis for possible follow-up research.  

In addition, the study did not look exclusively at THC, but also looked at the effects of other therapeutic cannabinoids (specifically CBG, CBD, CBC, CBD-A and THC-V) in order to determine which of these substances was best suited for treating or controlling asthma symptoms.  

"It was a surprise for the researchers that only THC was shown to be an effective inhibitor of tracheal contractions. None of the other cannabinoids , including CBD, have worked against asthma attacks. "  

Alternative methods of cannabis application  

As we can conclude from previous studies, therapeutic cannabis and the substances contained in it can be a potentially striking help for asthmatics. However, we must still keep in mind that all the research we have done so far is only preliminary and cannot be considered conclusive evidence that medical cannabis actually cures asthma.  

Where we should stay especially careful is still the classic smoking of cannabis. Even though the damage to health from smoking cannabis is incomparably less with smoking cigarettes, it is still the least healthy way of application. This is evidenced by a study from 1998, which compares the lung health of non-smokers and marijuana smokers.  

Source: thegrowthop.com