Did you know that cannabis dispensaries were among the essential businesses in different states at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic? The coronavirus has clearly affected the way that we view safety, including when we consume cannabis. After all, the virus was primarily a respiratory illness. It is perfectly understandable if you want to verify what the safest cannabis consumption method is right now.
When the pandemic erupted, the worst part was that no one knew much about the virus just yet. It should not come as a shock that there were even less data on the effects of COVID-19 on regular cannabis smokers. However, it is at the very least possible to derive certain conclusions based on early research about COVID-19 sufferers who happen to be cigarette smokers.
The Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine published a meta-analysis of data derived from earlier studies with information on 77,000 patients. They learned that cigarette smoking was among several underlying health conditions in COVID-19 patients. The list also includes heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
The WHO and CDC consider smokers at high risk for the development of severe COVID-19 symptoms. This is quite expected since smoking is known to damage the lungs’ elastic tissues and the cilia. In general, cannabis smokers and tobacco smokers have different lung disease patterns. This might be attributed to all the carcinogenic compounds in cigarettes and the difference in their smoking frequency.
Regardless, it might be better to consume cannabis without smoking. After all, inhalation can cause wheezing, coughing, and lung irritation. It might also exacerbate asthma and chronic lung disease. In the age of COVID-19, you want to prevent these conditions as much as possible.
If you want something that is less harmful to your lungs, you can turn to edibles. They may be consumed in the form of gummies, cookies, brownies, pills, drinks, tinctures, and capsules. They might work slower than inhaled cannabis, although they have longer-lasting effects.
It also makes use of another THC conversion process, so the effects will naturally feel stronger or different. Of course, there are other ways to administer cannabis. However, it is best to stick to edibles in the meantime because a lot of research has already been conducted on them. When safety is your concern, this should be your cannabis consumption method of choice.
