Is it possible that all the fake news claims that cannabis can treat the coronavirus weren’t fake but just ahead of their time? In a bizarre version of life imitating art (and we’re really stretching the limits of the term ‘art’ here), an Israeli study will look into the impact of cannabis on COVID-19 patients.
The new study at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv is examining whether one of the active substances in cannabis can benefit COVID-19 patients.
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Before you whip out your bong and take a celebratory rip, let’s dive into what the study will actually look at.
Researchers at the hospital are taking a closer look at cannabidiol, better known as CBD, to see if its anti-inflammatory properties can ease the symptoms of COVID-19 and “slow down the inflammatory process that accompanies the deterioration of severe coronavirus patients.”
The study is being carried out with the help of different wards in the hospital and will likely involve dozens of moderately ill patients.
Dr. Barak Cohen, a senior anesthesiologist and head of the Corona management at Ichilov and the research’s initiators, stressed that “this is a novel approach to treating some of the symptoms, using a component of the cannabis plant that is considered safe and non-addictive.”
The study is initiated by the hospital and is currently not related to any company.
Research into the use of CBD is still in its infancy but is already covering the treatment of anxiety, cognition, movement disorders, and pain.
In 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first, and so far only, cannabidiol drug — Epidiolex — for the treatment of two epilepsy disorders.
So what does this teach us about sensationalist fake news articles? Firstly, if you make up enough stuff, at some point you’re going to get something right. Secondly, don’t hold your breath for any cannabis-based coronavirus treatment to hit the market anytime soon.
Until it happens, if ever, stay safe, practice social distancing, and maybe find an alternative way to get high other than smoking your weed.
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