Is Cannabis the Immune Booster We Need to Combat COVID-19?

Just last week we heard about more than one company making claims that their cannabis product can help you combat the Coronavirus. Many more are stating that cannabis can give your immune system a much needed boost, possibly enough so to fight off COVID-19. However, many health professionals believe that there is not enough data to support these claims. 

Dr. Dani Gordon is a medical cannabis specialist in the United Kingdom, and has stated that “As for CBD and cannabis, we don’t have any studies showing it has any effect on the coronavirus, although there are some interesting studies on medical cannabis and smoked cannabis use and HIV progression,” according to Health Europa. 

Companies that make unjustified claims, especially during such a turbulent time, are acting irresponsibly, says Dr. Gordon. “As both a cannabis specialist and doctor trained in natural medicine and western medicine, it is important to let people know the facts and be totally honest about what we don’t know,” she said.

“It’s also critical not to make false claims when we are all understandably a bit scared, and of course want to do everything we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones.”

Dr. Gordon further believes that false claims don’t only hurt the patients that buy these products, but they reflect negatively on the entire industry and hinder any positive progress. She suggested that “This effect can distance our more ‘conventional’ medicine and research colleagues who are not well-versed in botanical medicine, and hurt the progress plant medicine has made in recent years in gaining support and credibility through academic research and inquiry, partnering with the research and those physicians open-minded enough to consider them,”.

Dr. Gordon has noted that “Plant medicines like CBD and medical cannabis do so many amazing things that there is no need to stretch the truth or make claims that cannot be backed up, at least not currently,”.

However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot take matters into your own hands and improve your chances of remaining healthy during the ongoing pandemic. Dr. Gordon recommends other immune boosting activities which include but aren’t limited to exercising, a healthy diet, consuming less alcohol and resting as much as possible. 

She has further stated that “Eating a diet rich in micronutrients, zinc, vitamin C, flavonoids like quercetin (in both cannabis and apples) and getting good sleep are all good things to start now if you haven’t already,” in helping boost immunity. 

“Deep breathing practices and laughter may also have a positive effect on our immune systems, too. So, you can feel like you have done something by putting on a funny film and having a good deep belly laugh to get those lungs working while you self-isolate.”

It is during times like these that taking all precautionary measures are almost a necessity, and it is worth giving your immune system every possible boost at the moment.