Cannabis & Asthma

[Si Dread]

Asthma is one of the most ubiquitous chronic inflammatory diseases in the U.S., affecting an estimated 35 million people, and claiming the lives of 4,000 each year. The disease is typically caused by inflammation of the bronchial tubes, causing the chest to become tight and breathing fairly difficult. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing (especially at night), shortness of breath, and pain or pressure in the chest. While not every case of asthma is identical, the treatments for all cases are similar.

Current Methods of Treating Asthma Patients

Anti-inflammatory drugs are the most popular treatment among people suffering from asthma. The steroids are inhaled through devices called inhalers, which are short-acting broncho-dilators. Broncho-dilators work to open your airway passages relieving shortness of breath, wheezing, cough and chest tightness caused by asthma.

“Asthma affects an estimated 35 million people each year, claiming the lives of 4,000 Americans each year.”

Some patients with more serious cases of asthma treat themselves with nebulizer breathing-treatments. A nebulizer is an in-home (tabletop) machine that changes the medication from a liquid, to a mist so that can be more easily dissolved by the lungs when inhaled (similar to a vaporizer for your herb). Many of these treatments are known to cause restlessness, headaches, nausea, and even more serious side effects such as seizures.

If you have been keeping up with our articles about the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD and the benefits of THC, you probably know where this is headed… Now, we are not going to sit here and tell you that lighting plant matter on fire and inhaling the hot smoke is helpful to an asthma patients lungs, or anyone’s lungs for that matter.

Vaporize Your Herbs… Quit Smoking!

We recognize the fact that the smoke of marijuana may be harmful to your lungs. However, studies have proven that THC acts as a temporary (1-2 hours) bronchodilator, especially when ingested; this is common knowledge by now. The New England Journal of Medicine, published a 1973 study that stated, “Marihuana smoke, unlike cigarette smoke, causes broncho-dilation rather than broncho-constriction [narrowing of the air passages] and, unlike opiates, does not cause central respiratory depression.”

Additionally, patients suffering from asthma probably do not want to actually smoke marijuana either. Think of heat as a bad thing, especially combustion or fuems from fire. This is exactly why most patients switch to vaporizing their cannabis. Through the use of vaporizers, most people claim they can stay medicated, with out the harmful side effects of smoke (of any sort).

Cannabinoids Proven to Enhance Lung Function

While marijuana smoke has some of the same toxins as tobacco smoke, the cannabinoids in Cannabis work in a way to counter act the harmful effects of the smoke. So are your lungs actually ever really damaged? This is yet to be proven.

Another long-term study (20 years) done from 1985 to 2006, examined 5,000 subjects from three American cities. The researchers questioned the participants about their cannabis and cigarette use, and tested lung capacity as well as rate of air flow out of their lungs. To their surprise, the researchers found that at moderate levels of cannabis smoking, lung volume and air flow rates both increased with each “joint year” (365 joints), up until seven joint-years (or 2,555 joints). Although the net increase only amounts to about one-seventh of a soda can, it’s still a victory for pot smokers.

“Marijuana smoke, unlike cigarette smoke, causes broncho-dilation [opening] rather than broncho-constriction [narrowing of the air passages] and, unlike opiates, does not cause central respiratory depression.” - New England Journal of Medicine

While some may argue that lung capacity is increased because of long inhales and the holding of breath that goes with cannabis smoking, that doesn’t explain why the lungs of cannabis-only smokers didn’t worsen like the lungs of cigarette smokers. There is more happening behind the scenes.

Some asthmatics have found relief through the use of Marinol, a synthetic (man-made) pill-form of THC. Although the drug has greater psychoactive properties than actual cannabis and is said to be far less effective, it is still more effective than inhalers or nebulizers for most patients. We believe that asthma patients will benefit from the ingestion of cannabis because of its anti-inflammatory effects, through the use of edibles or tincture. For patients that have serious cases of asthma, ingesting hemp oil in its raw form could provide long-term preventative relief as an alternative to smoking. Maybe vaporizing could even be the new “breathing treatment”, who knows?

Cannabis Known To Help Cleanse Sinuses & Lungs

It’s been reported that vaporizing waxes and other concentrates (especially with very high amounts of cannabinoids), often opens up your airways and sinuses, acting as a bronchodilator. Needless to say, much more scientific research must be done on the various intake methods of cannabis in relation to asthma patients. With over 35 million people effected each year, you would think any possible cure or antidote would be considered and researched heavily — to help provide some scientific backing that would help an enormous amount of suffering people. Only time will tell.

from - http://www.medicaljane.com/2013/02/...s-marijuana-shown-to-manage-asthma-symptoms/#

 

[.:Holy::Toast:.]

Vaporizers are still harsh on my lungs.
The vapour is still an irritant and can worsen asthma symptoms, even my buddy who has had asthma from birth notes this.
Oral cannabis however could definitely be an effective treatment.

 

[undertow13]

I agree with Holy Toast. I have asthma, and sometimes vaporizers have helped while others they have thrown me right into an asthma attack. I think it may depend on the vaporizer, as well as the temperature to which it is heated. Edibles, on the other hand, have knocked out my asthma for over 24 hours and seem to work better than anything else. Oral cannabis might not be the best treatment for acute attacks, but it is definitely great for prevention, especially in comparison to steroids and other treatments which don't work as well and have tons of nasty side effects.

 

[poledriver]

I used to have asthma as a kid but I grew out of it thankfully, I had it really bad, I went to hospital several times.

I only use vape to use weed these days, no smoking at all, and when i can I have edibles.

I dont find the vape harsh, maybe rarely depending on the weed.

I'm so glad I grew out of my asthma, and I really hope it never comes back again, it runs in my family.

 

[slimvictor]

I think that cannabis has helped the few times I had asthma as an adult.
But, as holy toast and undertow13 said, it is best to take it orally, as even vaporiziers can be harsh on one's lungs.

Cannabis: the miracle medicine that is illegal because the government wants to protect the alcohol and tobacco industries.

 

[Boognish]

I've had asthma since birth, and I bought one of those magic flight vaporizers thinking it would help me out. I'm sure there are better vaporizers out there (more $ tho), but let me tell you the harshest bong rip on the planet doesn't have shit on hot vapor. If I let the vapor get too hot it's a guaranteed asthma attack that no inhaler can touch for about 30 minutes. And I don't have bad asthma, just had it a long time.
So anyway, I've been smoking and dealing with the increased mucous production, lately. Not a huge fan of edibles..