Smoking Weed When Having a Cold, a Good Idea?

cannabis for head colds

When going through the uneasy period of a congested and runny nose coupled with cough and sneezing, the very question that pops up in the mind of a regular cannabis user is whether smoking cannabis should be the next action and if the action will be able to counter the effects of the cold or flu. Well, it is understandable that such questions pop up in the mind given the much-accounted medical benefits of cannabis which ranges from helping to deal with pain, inflammation, to several mental health conditions, and lots of other conditions.

Common cold or Flu

Before we delve into the interaction of cannabis components and the body system as it pertains to the flu or common cold, we must first investigate what the common cold entails, the cause, and the effects on the human body system.

The common cold is caused by numerous strains of viruses but the common classes of viruses that produce this effect or predisposes the body to common cold are rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, adenoviruses, and influenza.

The common cold is characterized on the account of these viruses by an inflammation in the lungs, nose, and throat which occurs as the response of the immune system to the action of the viruses at such sites. This inflammation at these sites is also followed through with the overproduction of mucus which is aimed at sweeping away the cells that may be dead and infected.

The symptoms that are seen in the body following the action of these viruses are mostly on the account of the immune system’s response to the viruses. The symptoms include runny nose, congested nose, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, a fever in terms of flu. These outlined symptoms put the entire body system in an uneasy position that needs relief and it is very possible that many regular users of cannabis will forgo the option of going to the pharmacist to check for regular OTC drugs that could help to mediate the condition and just settle for getting relief from cannabis. A look into the interactions between cannabinoids, terpenes, and the noted effects of a common cold will help to come to a good if not conclusive opinion on the matter.

Cannabis and Inflammation

As earlier stated, cannabis plays a large role in dealing with inflammation, a claim that has been well written about and expressed by seasoned experts on the subject. Cannabis contains special cannabinoids which play a large role in helping to deal with inflammation. Some of these cannabinoids embedded in cannabis include THC, CBD, CBC, and CBG. However, the role of dealing with inflammation by cannabis cannot be attributed to cannabinoids alone. Terpenes in cannabis such as linalool, limonene, eucalyptol also play a role in helping the body deal with inflammation.

By dealing with inflammation with arises at the lungs, throat, and nose, cannabis can help to bring about relief from the uneasiness that characterizes the common cold. Research has also shown that cannabis can be able to have a suppressive effect on the immune system, a suppression that is sure to be the causative factor of the anti-inflammatory action of cannabis.

Common cold and the Endocannabinoid system

The endocannabinoid system has been implicated in dealing with common cold by Echinacea whose activity is mediated through the endocannabinoid system at the CB1 and CB2 receptors. The activity of this plant across the endocannabinoid receptors gives a very good read of the potential embedded in cannabis as a solution to help deal with the common cold. Cannabinoids in cannabis also work along with these receptors and their affinity for the receptors could also be termed to have the much-needed effect to deal with the common cold. However, the available information regarding this from studies is still very limited, and more studies still need to be done before a conclusive end on the effect can be reached.

Is it a good idea?

Regarding the question of whether it is a good idea, it still must be said that though cannabis has beneficial effects with the common cold the route of administration is still very important to whether it is a good idea or not. Smoking irritates the throat and lungs which increases the inflammation at those sites which can only extend the effects of the common cold. There are different alternatives that can be used in place of smoking to get the benefits of cannabis. This includes edibles, tinctures, sprays, topicals, oils, and other examples of cannabis-infused products.

It then is evident that smoking has the capacity to exacerbate the discomfort of the common cold and worsen the conditions but these effects might not readily be seen in that way in the case of regular smokers whose body system is well accustomed to it.

The conclusion therefore should be that cannabis shows promise of being beneficial, however, smoking still has the capacity to worsen the condition so other means of cannabis consumption can be explored.