Pot for asthma
Medical reseach done in 1975 shows that pot can be valuable for asthma.
Instapundit suggests that in case of clogged lungs caused by the H5N1 flu virus, inhaled steroids such as those used for asthma might be helpful.
Pot seems to do the job and is much safer. Especially in the case of children, why would we even consider dangerous drugs like steroids?
Posts
7 comments:
11 14 05
Good post M. Simon:
I think I have an answer for you. In an asthma attack two things happen: 1. Narrowing restriction of brochiole tubes and;
2.Mucous production and swelling of tubes.
So usually one gets a bronchiol dialator to open up the airways, and one gets a steroid to reduce the inflammation. Marijuana has the former component; it is a natural bronchioldialator like peppermint. However, it doesn't reduce inflammation. So even if one got pot instead of say, Albuterol they would still need something to stop the inflammation.
I wonder what natural remedies could accomplish that?
Good post!
I learn so much from the comments.
There is absolutely no reason that pot should not be tested and researched responsibly to see what it does, medically, for any ailment. Then, based on the outcomes and good, non-superstitious policymaking, it could be approved for such indications as it affected beneficially.
That is the exact scenario that should have been followed for medical MJ instead of the '60's redux flower-child nonsense of Raich. Those California goofballs are as bad as the mothers march against intoxicants, who would get the vapors over the possibility of prescribing pot to relieve chemo synptoms of some poor fellow with cancer.
By the way, because of the totally local effect, inhaled steroids are about as safe as any drug you can get. The difference between systemic prednisone and inhaled fluticasone is about the same as the difference between prednisone and hydrocortisone first aid cream. Picture the difference between dabbing rubbing alcohol on your little cut and drinking the stuff.
The route of administration is everything- get it concentrated into the bloodstream and you have a totally different story than you have with pure local topical application. You can't have a "side effect" when the drug can't even get to the system that is undesirably affected.
Duane,
Thanks for your input. It is always good to learn more.
BTW the government is very hesitant to do any studies that put pot in a good light. It is only recently that any studies at all have gotten done.
One of the reasons is that the government (because of the DEA) will not supply quality pot to the researchers. Or any pot in some cases.
People like Angel Raich can not wait. They try pot. It works for them where nothing else has. End of story.
About the only place where a lot of good cannabis reseach is being done is Israel. Even there not all aspects are being covered. There is so much to do. Take this short list of just some of the things we already know pot is good for.
I disagree. The pot may act as a bronchodilator, but it is also irritating to the lungs, as is every type of smoke. As Mahndisa points out, that still does nothing to touch the inflammation.
Furthermore, I've been checking on this issue for some time. There really is no good evidence for the improvement - it's largely anecdotal and hippie-dippie.
I did a check once on the groups responsible for information about pot. The pro-marijuana groups publish well over 90% of the stuff on the web, most of it evangelical.
HEY Im an asthmatic and i smoke pot and dont take any thing persirbed and i dont take asthma attacks any more and i can do alot more phisical activity. I owe it all to smoken pot because nothen eles worked
I've had asthma since I was five and as a teenager I smoked weed for a couple of years, pretty much once or twice everyday. I did feel like it eased up my lungs, but then some days I'd just start coughing, wheezing and hacking up lots of phlegm, much like any other regular smoker would. I finally kicked the habit of smoking, but I still believe cannabis can help sooth asthma attacks in that it relaxes you and helps ease your breathing. I definitely do not recommend smoking it if you have asthma or any other breathing illness. Instead, boil it in tea or cook it in a couple of cupcakes - they are equally efficient ways of ingesting the cannabis without damaging your lungs at all. (The effects last longer too.) Unlike what ignorant folk may say, marijuana does not ruin your life. You must simply learn to take it in moderation and know when it's okay from when it's a bad idea to get high. (Just like alcohol - too much is never good.)
Post a Comment