Is Medical Marijuana Good for Asthma Patients

Updated on March 10, 2020

The increased adoption of medicinal marijuana across many jurisdictions is a blessing to people suffering from some chronic medical conditions. One of these medical conditions is asthma. Asthma being a chronic condition, exposes patients to long term suffering. Some people suffer depilating asthma attacks, which cause them pain and suffering. Doctors often recommend inhalers and, in some cases, drugs to combat this condition. However, due to the uncertainty of the effects of using inhalers for a long time, asthma patients want to know how to treat asthma naturally. This is where the marijuana and asthma connection comes in.

Medical marijuana for asthma has been explored by researchers for a long time with varied results. However, in recent years, there is almost a consensus among doctors and researchers that marijuana is good for asthma patients to relieve some of the symptoms. Some of these symptoms include wheezing, breathing difficulties, and coughing. These symptoms may cause pains and discomfort that ultimately affect the quality of life of the patient. It is important to note that there is no cure for asthma. Currently, medication can only manage the symptoms and prevent complications that may arise from breathing difficulties.

The pitfalls with medical marijuana, especially when used to treat conditions such as asthma is self-medication. Even if some people use cannabis recreationally, using it for medicinal purposes needs some guidance from a medical professional. This ensures that you don’t put yourself in unnecessary risks. Another problem is that most people associate marijuana with smoking. Medical marijuana for asthma can’t be consumed through smoking as it would worsen asthma. However, there are many other ways to use marijuana, including vaporizing and eating edibles.

Vaporizers are the best way to use medical marijuana for asthma. There are numerous vaporizers present in the market today. Who has the best guides to vape pens. Just like the regular inhaler that an asthmatic carry with them, the cannabis vaporizer is also small and highly portable. They are safer than smoking, which may irritate your airways even further. Vaporizers don’t produce the aroma associated with smoking. You can do it without causing problems for other people.  Cannabis vaporizers deliver THC and CBD, which are the compounds in marijuana responsible for anti-inflammation, directly to the bronchi. This produces almost instant relief.  Other ways to use medical marijuana, such as consuming it in teas, consuming marijuana edibles, and consuming the active ingredients as capsules, may not be as effective as vaporizing.

Medical Marijuana for Asthma: How does it help

Let us take some time to explore why marijuana is good for asthma. One, marijuana helps relieve pain. It serves as a painkiller. For people suffering from an asthma attack, the pain can be unbearable. When the airways have blocked, and breathing is labored, pains in the chest occur. Medical marijuana can help relieve these pains. Not all patients experience this pain. However, those who do may benefit from using marijuana. Marijuana has analgesic effects that soothe the pain by acting on the never cells.

Secondly, medical marijuana is anti-inflammatory. It is widely accepted that cannabis has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. This is important for the management of numerous conditions. Asthma is characterized by the inflammation of the respiratory systems. Asthma patients have a sensitive lining in their lungs, which, when irritated by a trigger, brings about inflammation. Marijuana having anti-inflammatory properties helps reduce this response. This helps in alleviating the breathing difficulties by keeping the airways open.

The third benefit that marijuana has on asthma is that it is antispasmodic. Cannabis reduces the involuntary muscular spams that asthma patients have in their lungs while suffering an attack. This reduces the constriction of the very narrow passages delivering oxygen. This constriction, combined with inflammation is what causes the shortness of breath and sharp pain. Researchers have experimented on this and reached a conclusion on the antispasmodic properties of marijuana

Reduces anxiety, while a person is under an asthma attack, they are bound to be anxious or stressed out. This only serves to worsen the condition. Anxiety and stress can act as a trigger for asthma attacks. Cannabis reduces anxiety and relieves stress. This benefit, combined with the ones we have previously discussed, helps bring your asthma under control.

Cannabis Strain for Asthma

Not just any cannabis you come across will be good for managing your asthma. That’s why it is important not to self-medicate with cannabis. Researchers have zeroed in on the following strains.

Afghan kush

Also known as the Afghan OG, it is a pure Indica strain known for its soothing effects. It has 6% CBD and 21% THC. In its pure form, this strain is the best for people seeking to manage asthma symptoms. Due to the high amounts of CBD and THC, it is potent and should be used wisely.

Charlotte’s web

This is a Sativa strain with 1% THC and 17% CBD. It is named after a girl known as Charlotte, who was suffering from numerous seizures. It helped reduce these to just a couple in a month. Developed by the Stanley brothers, this strain helps fight inflammation effectively.

Amnesia Haze

This is a cross of several strains but predominantly Sativa. It has THC levels of 21% and CBD levels of 1%.  It is a widely used cannabis strain for asthma.

Other strains that deserve mention are Cannatonic, Purple Diesel, Platinum Bubba Kush, Harlequin, and Kali Mist

Conclusion

Medical marijuana is still a hot topic. Due to the long-held view that marijuana is dangerous to human health, it seems counterintuitive to then use it medically. However, there is evidence that medical marijuana is beneficial to people suffering from chronic conditions. In particular, medical marijuana for asthma has been shown to relieve symptoms associated with the condition and leads to a better quality of life.

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