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Cannabis consumers who caught COVID had ‘better outcomes and mortality’ than non-consumers

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7 months ago

October 13, 2023

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Cannabis consumers who caught COVID-19 had significantly lower rates of intubation, respiratory failure, and death than people who do not consume, according to a new study based on hospital data that was presented this week at the annual conference of The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) in Honolulu.

“Marijuana users had better outcomes and mortality compared to non-users,” the study says, suggesting that the observed benefits might result from cannabis’s “potential to inhibit viral entry into cells and prevent the release of proinflammatory cytokines.”

“The significant decrease in mortality and complications warrants further investigation of the association between marijuana use and COVID-19,” the report, published in a supplement of the CHEST Journal, says.

Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

Authors of the study explained the findings on Wednesday in a presentation alongside a poster at the annual CHEST conference. They analyzed records from 322,214 patients from the National Inpatient Sample, a government database that tracks hospital utilization and outcomes. Of those patients, 2,603—less than 1 percent—said they consumed cannabis.

Looking at the two populations separately, marijuana consumers “were younger and had higher prevalance of tobacco use,” wrote the seven-person research team. People who didn’t use marijuana had higher rates of other comorbidities, such as obstructive sleep apnea, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

Cannabis consumers also had significantly lower health complications related to COVID:

“On univariate analysis, marijuana users had significantly lower 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 sepsis with multiorgan failure (5.8% vs 12%). They also had lower in-hospital cardiac arrest (1.2% vs 2.7%) and mortality (2.9% vs 13.5%).”

Using a 1:1 matching analysis that compared marijuana consumers to nonusers by age, race, gender “and 17 other comorbidities including chronic lung disease,” the team found that cannabis consumers had lower rates of intubation, acute respiratory failure, severe sepsis with multiorgan failure and morality.

Patients who were under 18 or who had information missing from the national database were excluded from the study.

Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

While the study uses the phrase “smoking cannabis,” it also refers to participants who identified as “marijuana users.” It’s not clear whether the research is looking at smoking cannabis specifically or also includes other forms of consumption, such as vaping and edibles.

The study‘s lead author, Fasih Sami Siddiqui, did not immediately respond to emailed questions from Marijuana Moment.

As the study acknowledges, “there remains a significant gap in our understanding of the potential impact of marijuana use on COVID-19.” There has been relatively little in-depth study of how cannabis consumption and COVID infection interact. One 2022 study came to a different conclusion, finding that cannabis use was associated with a lower chance of getting COVID but also with more serious infections.

A separate study that same year, however, also found “lower COVID-19 severity” and “significantly better health outcomes” among hospitalized patients.

A 2022 laboratory study from researchers at Oregon State University notably found that certain cannabinoids can potentially prevent COVID-19 from entering human cells. However as doctors at UCLA have noted, that study focused on CBG-A and CBD-A under lab conditions and did not assess marijuana smoking by patients themselves.

Tobacco smoking is widely considered an additional health risk for COVID, meanwhile. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Being a current or former cigarette smoker can make you more likely to get very sick from COVID-19.”

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, some cannabis advocates claimed with little evidence that marijuana or CBD could prevent, treat or even cure coronavirus infection—a claim many other advocates warned was premature and dangerous.

Ginia Coleman/Weedmaps

In March 2020, for example, former NFL player Kyle Turley—who said that medical marijuana changed his life and who now operates his own cannabis brand—made numerous unsubstantiated claims on social media that cannabis would “prevent” and “cure” COVID-19.

The tweets, some of which have since been deleted, included statements such as “CBD CAN PREVENT AND CURE THE CORONA VIRUS,” and “CANNABIS WILL PREVENT & CURE COVID19!!!!!!!…..commence the hate.”

In another now-deleted tweet, Turley appeared to claim that cannabis products are “the cure for cancer.”

In an interview with Marijuana Moment, Turley called his critics “cowards.”

“I’ve been putting in work on my own dime, on my own time, taking away from my family, to move this conversation forward. And that’s what I’ve done,” he said. “I was a first round draft pick, I made millions of dollars, God saved my life through this plant and I live in America. So get used to it,” he said. “And I’m going to continue to spread His word.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) later took enforcement action against Turley’s NeuroXPF business.

Others used the pandemic as an argument in favor of marijuana legalization on different grounds. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D), for example, said in November 2020 that legalizing marijuana in his state would prevent the spread of covid by reducing travel to New Jersey.

This article originally appeared on Marijuana Moment.

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American Heart Association

Naps Done Right Can Make a Huge Difference

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

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Weekends are made for naps, but done right they can make your week better also!

The body is a machine which needs fuel, maintenance and downtime. Around 30% of people don’t get enough night sleep during the week, which can cause problems during the waking hours. There has been a stigma around napping as being lazy, but often those “judging” are not giving their own body enough time to rest, refocus and beenergized for the challenges of day to day life. Data shows it is good for you and naps done right can make a huge difference.

Everyone is different and bodies need certain things to function, enough rest is one. Healthy sleep is one of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8, their guide for improving and maintaining health. Naps can reduced fatigue, increased alertness, improve your mood and performance, and help with memory. But there are some guidelines…don’t sleep too long, don’t nap to close to your bedtime, and the following key lessons.

Figure out the right nap for the moment

The National Sleep Foundation shares there are three kinds of naps, each with their own patterns and effects. Planned napping, emergency napping and habitual napping. The first is when people sleep before they get tired, the second is when they nap because they’re exhausted and they have to, and the third is when they make a habit out of daily naps. Find the option that works best for you and you needs.

Naps should be short.

Productive naps are between 10-20 or so minutes. While we think of the more sleep the better, this is a case of a little goes a long way. Studies show a 10 minute nap can make people feel rested and prepared for the rest of their day. In fact, sleeping for over 30 minutes can disrupt in nightly sleeping patterns, which can alter your nights and productivity. Set an alarm for your naps, keeping them to a defined time, especially if you’re napping habitually and are not catching up on missed sleep.

Once awake, start moving

Weekends can be made for lounging around and being lazy. Spend all day in bed or lounging in the couch and end up sleeping on and off. But hese sessions can result in blurry days where the hours fly by and you end up feeling exhausted. It results in having trouble sleeping at night and not being rested. Days like these disrupt your circadian rhythms. Naps work best when they’re planned, with some activity and movement before and after.

Develop a schedule

Going to sleep at the same time every night provides plenty of positive results, helping you maintain a schedule and develop better sleeping habits. It’s the same with naps. “The brain prefers to anticipate something, not react to it. A nap is no different, which is why a scheduled nap always works better over the long haul when compared to a random nap.” This schedule shouldn’t force you to nap everyday, instead, it should help you nap more easily and feel more rested. Hope you can use the tips to make the most out of naps.

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Cannabis

Can Marijuana Give A Break From All The Drama

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

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It is a summer of political news, students protests, family gathering and just every day drama – can marijuana help with a temporary break?

This summer will be filled with ongoing political news as the presidential election is in the fall. Add oversees wars and campus protests and conversations with some people could be fraught with drama. And summer is the time of family gatherings, birthdays, weddings or a 4th of July picnic, it can be stressful. Can marijuana give a break from all the drama. The answer is heck yes! And you will feel better than overindulging in booze.

While taking a break, breathing, or going for a walk can help, sometimes you get overwhelmed. Avoiding putting yourself in these situations by reducing your news and social media input, putting boundaries around certain people and other healthy habits are import, a quick, easy solution is needed in some situations. Cannabis can provide a temporary relief as it is a proven help against anxiety. To use this tool, there are a few things to know and also not to be over reliant on it as a solution.

Part of the way marijuana chills you out with the active cannabinoid THC. It acts through

The younger generation has taken advantage of consumption methods to have marijuana on-the-go. Vaping is the second, and trends show soon to be first, most popular method of use. Like gummies (the third most popular way to consume), it is easy, discreet and portable for those with an active lifestyle. You can also manage dosing so you are not too high or suddenly have couch lock.

Done right, a high, even a moderate one, can last 2-10 hours. Smoking a joint provides the quickest and most powerful, while a gummy takes 30-45 minutes to kick it, but it is much easier to manage the dosage. Vaping is a way to maintain a steady chill.

One good thing about taking a “time out” and breathing from the drama, it is a better on our mental and physical health.

One recent survey discovered

1 in 5 had lost sleep over politics
20 percent reported feeling fatigued because of political news
29 percent reported losing their temper over politics
One quarter said they felt hateful toward those with opposing political views
More than 20 percent have had political disagreements damage their friendships

However you do it, be mindful of where you are and make sure you don’t let outside forces squash you happiness and enjoyment of each day.

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BDSA

Consumer Spending Validates Marijuana Rescheduling

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

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It is a historic move for a country which had prohibition, but consumers are using their wallets to show they support it,

Culture wars have been an American tradition – from the battle over TicTok to the alcohol prohibition in the 1920s. It was said the only thing to come out of the anti-liquor period was it taught good citizens how to break the law. But in general, if the public wants it, the public will have it, legal or not. The perfect is example is the Pornhub ban in Utah and Texas, which has sent VPN sign ups sky high. And consumer spending validates marijuana rescheduling in a major way.

Some politicians and leaders believe in the nanny state option. Those include a few governors lead by Ron DeSantis, Mitch McConnell, and a few other special interest groups. But the Biden’s administration’s decision to reschedule cannabis lines up with public opinion. Over 85% believe it should legal in some form, and more importantly, they are putting their money toward what they want. Leading analyst firm, BDSA, shared the public’s spending habit’s match their thoughts on rescheduling.

Following the tradition, cannabis sales moved higher again this year. Sales on 20 April 2024 sales were $167M, a 33% increase over the previous year. Trends like California sober are going strong and Gen Z continues to move away from alcohol and move toward marijuana vapes and gummies. Lifestyle habits are starting to adjust slightly away from alcohol and more low alcohol drinks, mocktails, and cannabis eat away at the traditional market. Alcohol is much rougher on the body, so many are opting for a semi-healthier option.

It is a benefit for fully recreational states as even Missouri makes significant tax income on cannabis. Most governors are on board with rescheduling at it is not only the public’s will, but it helps the state’s coffers and actually helps in other areas. Even New York State, with over 1,500 non tax paying illicit stores making money, made some income. They have less than 100 licensed dispensaries generating over $175 million.

RELATED: How To Microdose Marijuana

On an interesting sidebar, like holidays, there are some holidays where cannabis use is up. Here are the largest for 2023