How Does COVID Affect the Lungs?
Covid-19 is a respiratory disease that causes pneumonia and primarily affects the respiratory tract which includes your lungs. It can cause a huge range of breathing problems from those that are very mild to those that put people in critical condition. Older adults who have underlying conditions such as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes can have more serious symptoms than others. The coronavirus can infect the upper and lower parts of your respiratory tract as it travels down your airways. Once there it causes irritation and inflammation of the lining and can extend all the way down into your alveoli. This is where carbon dioxide comes out and oxygen goes into your blood.
How Does Weed Affect The Lungs?
Smoking marijuana can increase the risks of some lung infections, in particular those caused by fungal infections. This has led some to believe that smoking or vaping marijuana can actually lead to a higher susceptibility of contracting COVID. This is because much like smoking cigarettes the smoke from marijuana can cause a slight inflammation that is very similar to bronchitis. Furthermore, chronic marijuana smoking, which is defined as daily use, erodes lung function over time and can contribute to diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease[1] , or COPD. Smokers, people with COPD, asthma, and other chronic lung diseases are considered high risk when it comes to contracting COVID-19. The truth is that people with weaker respiratory systems are at a higher risk than those who have strong and healthy ones. Additionally, those with weaker respiratory systems will have a much longer road to recovery than those with stronger ones.
Conclusion on Whether or Not Weed Increases Chances of COVID
Based on available data it seems to show that people who smoke weed are in a higher risk group for contracting COVID. This can be terrible news for those who are regular users and they may want to either limit their intake of pot smoke or change the way they consume it altogether. In fact, many dispensaries are reporting that the sales of edibles are on the rise in the face of coronavirus. This is thought to be a direct response to the fact that smoking pretty much anything, including weed has a negative impact on the respiratory system and can increase the likelihood of contracting the virus. Furthermore, if contracted it can do much more damage. In this light, it might be a good idea to look into other methods of consumption, such as edibles, tinctures, or oils. Eliminating the need to smoke your stash may be a great option for getting high, but it also limits your susceptibility to the virus.[2]
Smoke and Toke With Precaution
All of this does not mean that you have to stop using weed outright. As mentioned above, there are a variety of ways to limit the impact of pot on your respiratory system. Some excellent ideas are to maybe turn your smoking stash into some delicious edibles. There are some awesome recipes online that make crafting your own edibles at home a fairly easy and fun process. Another idea is to create your own oils or tinctures at home, which can be another awesome DIY project for the creative pot smoker. If these do not sound fun or maybe more work than you are willing to put in then many dispensaries offer a wide array of products that are designed to be consumed without smoking. Things like oils and tinctures are often available. Plus there are edibles in the form of cookies, brownies, and gummies you can purchase as well. [3] However, take it slow with these as eating weed is usually much more powerful than smoking it.
If you find it absolutely necessary to vape or smoke your product then do it with caution, knowing it could weaken your respiratory system. It would be best to take as little puffs as possible, but still get you the desired effects. Another thing that kind of goes without saying is do not share your smoke with anyone else but yourself to help limit the spread of COVID-19. No matter what you do be sure to take the necessary precautions, stay quarantine[4] d, wear a mask, and be sure to social distance with everyone. With a few small changes in your lifestyle and smoking habits, you can be sure to help protect yourself as much as possible from the damaging aspects of the novel coronavirus.
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